Pneu Velo Michelin - White Green

This original French advertising poster was created in 1912 by O’Galop for Michelin bicycle tires. It features Bibendum, the Michelin Man, energetically riding a bicycle along a country road while smoking his characteristic cigar. Strapped prominently to his back is a yellow sign reading “Le Meilleur – Le Moins Cher,” meaning “The Best – The Least Expensive,” a succinct claim for the quality and value of Michelin tires. The poster was printed by the celebrated Parisian lithographic firm Chaix. The inscription “Henri Garand – Cycles – Manthelan” identifies the local bicycle dealer through whom the Michelin tires were sold. The poster was designed with an open area at the bottom that could be customized with the name of an individual Michelin dealer, combining Michelin's national advertising campaign with local retail promotion. O’Galop was the pseudonym of French illustrator Marius Rossillon (1867–1946) and his importance to Michelin advertising is exceptional. In 1898, working from an idea conceived by brothers André and Édouard Michelin, Rossillon created the first fully realized image of Bibendum, transforming a stack of tires into the distinctive human figure that became the Michelin Man. His famous 1898 Nunc est Bibendum poster established the character and began one of the longest-lasting and most recognizable advertising identities in history. O’Galop continued to develop Bibendum through numerous Michelin advertisements. His early Michelin Man was quite different from today's streamlined version: a large, exuberant figure composed of individual tire rings, frequently shown smoking a cigar and engaging in humorous human activities. In this poster, placing Bibendum directly on a bicycle was particularly appropriate, as Michelin's early success was closely connected with the development of the pneumatic bicycle tire.This is an original vintage poster, linen backed and in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all of our posters.