Posters and Prints

Posters and prints have been an essential element in history. They've served as vehicles for political change, advertising events, and selling products. They have also served to capture the excitement of a cultural moment and provide personal nostalgia. Early posters were created using wood blocks and copper plates; however, lithography revolutionized poster design by providing artists with greater freedom in color choices. Jules Cheret invented this process which enabled posters to be printed with a much wider color range and gave them an eye-catching artistic quality. Posters were a beloved medium for art during the 19th century, with many notable artists creating iconic designs that remain highly collectible today. Renowned creators such as Jules Cheret, Henri Privat-Livemont and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec all produced stunning posters. The poster was born as an economical and efficient means to advertise products and services. Its ancestors were stone tablets on which ancient Egyptians scratched symbols or wooden plaques that hung in busy market squares. In the 19th century, Jules Cheret invented a revolutionary printing process that enabled designers to use any color and made the entire printing process fast and cost-effective. Posters quickly became ubiquitous throughout mass communication campaigns. Many renowned institutions and brands sought the services of some of the greatest artists of their era to design their posters, such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Adolphe Willette, Eugene Grasset and others.