Georges Richard Automobiles & Cycles

Escaping the city for a drive through the countryside was considered the height of luxury in 1901, the year this charming poster for Georges Richard Automobiles & Cycles was created. The driver of this elegant vehicle seems intent on going as fast as possible, while his date in the rear desperately tries to hold on to her hat. Her cape flaps in the wind as the couple careens around the town's ancient city walls as the town fades from view. The border of the image is a pattern of the Georges Richard company's trademark lucky four-leaf clovers. It is a wonderful Art Nouveau image.

Georges Richard Automobiles & Cycles was founded by brothers Georges and Felix-Maxime Richard around 1890. Georges Richard (1863-1922) is the most well-known of the brothers, both as an automobile innovator as well as an early race car driver. Georges and Felix-Maxime worked for many years in a bicycle repair shop before beginning their company, and this experience guided their company's commitment to quality. Whether bicycle or car, a George Richard vehicle came with a lifetime guarantee. This unusual promise made them instantly popular. Pictured in this poster is the company's popular "Pony" model, which was produced 1896 - 1902. The Georges Richard company went through various mergers and sales over the years, as Georges lost interest in the business and focused more on his racing career. He would go on to later found Unic, which would one day become France's largest producer of commercial trucks, in 1905. Georges Richard tragically passed away in a motor accident in 1922.

The artist of this poster in Henri Behel (1865 -1929), of whom little is known. He did create several other posters for Georges Richard, around the same time as this image.

This is an Original Vintage Poster; it is not a reproduction. This poster is conservation mounted, linen backed, and in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all of our posters.