Maitres De L'Affiche - Pl 214 Theodora

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 was sold in packages of four and delivered monthly to subscribers. Designed for a subscription audience, the publication showcased the most influential posters of the era in a collectible small format.Premiering in 1884 at the Theatre de la Porte Saint Martin, Theodora is considered one of the greatest plays of the 19th century. Inspired by his muse, actress Sarah Bernhardt, the Byzantium play focuses on the character and career of Theodora, wife of Justinian and the Empress of Romans. Victorien Sardou in his adaptation of Theodora renders the character as a hero rather than villain as typically the case in other historical writings. The play ran in Paris for an unprecedented 257 consecutive showings at high ticket prices and generated enormous revenue. The play then went on a world tour, with Sarah Bernhardt appearing as Theodora nearly nine hundred times (Purplemotes.net). The poster, a collaboration by Auguste Gorguet and Manuel Orazi, is a wonderful illustration that highly speaks to the Byzantinum opulence and grandeur of the play both in its popularity of spectacle and its decadent wardrobe and props. The poster, which uses gold, depicts a scene from the play with Sarah Bernhardt, appearing twice on the upper left-hand corner and left-hand side of the image. Manuel Orazi (1860 – 1934) was an art nouveau illustrator and poster artist. In 1895 he created the Calendrier Magique, an occult-themed calendar which was limited to 777 copies. Orazi also illustrated for novels such as Aphrodite by Pierre Louys, Fleurs du Mal by Charles Baudelaire and Ma Petite Ville by Jean Lorrain (Wikipedia). Auguste Gorguet (1862 -1927) was a French painter, poster artist and engraver. Gorguet was a student at the Ecole des Beaux – Arts in Paris and trained under painters such as Aime Morot and Gustave Boulanger. Gorguet’s work was exhibited at the Salon in 1885 and awarded in Chicago in 1892. His work is best categorized as symbolist, a movement that quickly caught up with Art nouveau (Wikipedia).This is an Original Vintage Poster, not a reproduction. This poster is on heavy weight paper and is in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all our posters.