Court cases - many of them murder cases! - are also often "humorously" depicted in these Oxygénée Cusenier sketches in "Le Sourire". In these, absinthe either played a role in the cases or the defendants referred to absinthe to prove their truthfulness or humanity. Very strange.

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One of the thematic clusters in these Cusenier sketches in Le Sourire particularly surprises & amuses me: mountaineering! Oxygénée Cusenier was depicted as a force of energy - for men & women! - both when the mountain climbing was successful & when it was evidently not!

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Working-class women - consumers of Cusenier or not! - were depicted very differently. While bourgeoises were shown as daintily enjoying a glass of absinthe, working-class drinkers were depicted as gaining strength through it - clearly interpreted as a masculine attribute!

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When it comes to women who consumed Oxygénée Cusenier, they were often depicted (in "Le Sourire" in the early 20th century) as very elegant and upper-class. As can be seen in the one with the title "Wedding Night", their consumption was however also regularly sexualised!

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These sketches often show couples where the man is much older than the woman, and also touch on questions of class and consent. Oxygénée Cusenier could, apparently, truly help with all kinds of issues!

Descriptions & references are, as always, in the captions.

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The idea most commonly depicted in these sketches for Oxygénée Cusenier seems to be that women will be more attracted to a man if he is an avid drinker. Amazing! These are just a few examples from the early 20th century by different French artists. Details in the captions!

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In time for Easter: These two sketches show women reacting to being given Oxygénée Cusenier instead of chocolate eggs, with the one on the left (by Georges Léonnec, 1909) describing it as a "talisman of eternal love & youth" & the one on the right as "tasteful" (by A. Bertrand, 1905).

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A deep feeling of same regret - of not having distributed absinthe to the troops - is shown in this sketch from 1907 by the French caricaturist Jules Depaquit. The description explains: "If I had given a [glass of] Oxygénée Cusenier to each of my soldiers on the morning of Waterloo, I would not be on Saint Helena!"

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Another one showing Father Christmas: This one is by the French artist A. Bertrand, from 1906, with Père Noël saying: "Toys for the little ones, Oxygénée Cusenier for the grown-ups - that is how you make everyone happy!" I love the umbrella he seems to be carrying!

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