Poster for the Théâtrophone Company

A smiling woman in evening dress looks sideways at the viewer while holding the receivers of a “théâtrophone” to her ears, unheeding of the people standing in line behind her. The théâtrophone was an early distribution service which made it possible to use coin-operated telephonic devices set up in cafés, hotels, etc. to listen to opera or theater performances at a rate of 50 centimes per five minutes.

The caption reads in the original French: Affiche pour la Compagnie du Théâtrophone.