LB - Carnaval de Binche Mardi Gras - 1910s

This poster, cleaned and Japanese-mounted on Canson and cotton paper, dates from 1910 and was created by the Binche painter Louis Buisseret (monogrammed 'L.B.'). It was printed for distribution by the house Affiches Marci in Brussels for the benefit of the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Belges (SNCB); the central motif depicts a Gille de Binche, rich in folkloric and ritual symbols.

What makes the poster interesting are its author, its motif, and its significance as a SNCB poster with a tourism-related meaning from the early 20th century.

Affiches Marci (Brussels), a historic printing house known for the distribution of advertising and tourist posters in Belgium at the turn of the 20th century.

The central figure is the Gille of Binche, an emblematic figure of the local carnival: a costume embroidered with heraldic motifs (stars, lions, crowns), bells, a wax mask, and a large feathered hat. These elements serve as markers of community identity, ritual protection, and belonging to the procession; the practice of the Gilles (throwing oranges, parades, rondels) is documented as a seasonal and identity ritual embedded in local memory. The heraldic attributes and the architectural staging (cathedral silhouette, decorative masks) reinforce the idea of a carnival that is both popular and solemn, designed to attract the attention of travelers and collectors.

The mention of the National Railway Company of Belgium on the poster indicates an order or a promotional distribution aimed at promoting Binche as a train-accessible destination; this type of partnership between railway companies and printers was common to stimulate regional tourism at the beginning of the century. The printing by Affiches Marci explains the lithographic quality and the wide distribution of the image in the carnival programs and leaflets throughout the 20th century.

The 1910 poster served as a reference visual for the Binche Carnival for several decades and remains today a sought-after collectible among enthusiasts of vintage posters and carnival iconography. Buisseret's stylistic choices (central composition, vivid palette, ornate typography) illustrate the transition from traditional illustrated posters to modern tourism promotion.


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