Maitres De L'Affiche - Pl 82 La Revue Blanche

Maîtres de l'Affiche (Masters of the Poster) refers to 256 color lithographic plates used to create an art publication during the Belle Époque in Paris, France. The collection, reproduced from the original works of ninety-seven artists in a smaller 11 x 15 inch format, was put together by Jules Chéret, the father of poster art and distributed between 1895 – 1900. The varied selection of prints were sold in packages of four and delivered monthly to subscribers. Designed for a subscription audience it showcased the most influential posters of the era in a collectible small format.

Toulouse-Lautrec was one of the most celebrated artists of the late 19th century. He was commissioned by "La Revue Blanche", the successful art and literary journal, to design their annual poster. Understanding the role of celebrities in marketing, he features the well-known, redheaded socialite, Misia Natanson to elevate the status of the journal. Misia is the wife of the journal's co-editor and the darling of Paris' avant-garde intellectuals, writers, and artists. She is only partially shown, a frequent device of Toulouse-Lautrec, but this time he dares to show someone skating without ever showing the skates. Misia, richly garbed, is seen gliding across the unseen ice; the skating motion implied by the diagonal line of the coat, punctuated by the polka dots and confirmed by the placement of her arms. Many people consider this to be his strongest individual work. (Reference: Wittrock P.16)

This is an original vintage poster, not a reproduction. This poster is on heavyweight paper, and is in excellent condition. Please note that there is chipping on all four corners as seen in the photo We guarantee the authenticity of all of our posters.