Artistic advertisers of yesteryear

5 December 2023 16:00
Artistic designers are well represented on our online shop. Already in the early 20th century, some of them advertised using posters. The style was innovative at the time and is still highly appreciated today. Be inspired! Great gifts for Christmas, by the way..... Happy holidays!

Jules Cheret

Paris is the capital of the belle époque. It was during this time that Jules Chéret (1836 -1932) created posters for cabarets and theatres including the famous Folies Bergère, Théâtre de l'Opera and the Moulin Rouge. During his career, he designed more than 1,000 posters. All equally striking for their spectacular use of colour. The usually minimal amount of text and catchy illustration ensured that even an illiterate audience understood the message.

 

Theophile Alexandre Steinlen

"Le Chat Noir": Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen's (1859 -1923) famous poster for the legendary cabaret on Paris' Montmartre hill. The Swiss painter and illustrator created the illustration in 1896. The establishment got its name from a cat the owner had found on the street. Within a few years, Le Chat Noir grew into a popular meeting place for writers, artists and cabaret performers. Following suit, establishments of the same name were opened in other European cities.

  

Alfons Mucha

Alfons Mucha (1860 - 1939) made his breakthrough with a poster for the play Gismonde starring French actress Sarah Bernhardt. She was the star of Parisian theatre at the time. His work was unprecedentedly popular and it was not long before the posters he designed were looted from the streets. His flamboyant style is still widely appreciated.

 

David Dellepiane

David Dellepiane (1866-1932) was a French painter, lithographer and poster artist of Italian origin. He came from a family of craftsmen; his grandfather was a decorator, his grandmother a gold embroiderer and his father a woodcarver who found work in the French navy. Influenced by the poster art of Alfons Mucha, he learned all about lithography under the guidance of Jules Chéret.The French railway company Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée (PLM) was one of his main principals.

If you want even more inspiration ahead of December, don't forget to take a look at our special Christmas category. Or visit our open day on Saturday 2 December between 11:00 and 16:00. Be welcome!