Maitres de L'Affiche Pl.144 - La Dame Aux Camelias - Mucha

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.

This poster was created by the famous artist, Alphons Mucha, otherwise known as the father of Art Nouveau. This beautiful example of Mucha’s romantic flair and intricate detailing advertises the play La Dame Aux Camelias, adapted by a novel by Alexandre Dumas and starring famous actress Sarah Bernhardt. The story follows an ill Parisian courtesan, Marguerite, who is 'kept' by a callous wealthy baron. She falls in love with a penniless young man, and drama ensues. Baz Luhrmann would go on to draw heavy inspiration from this story for his film, Moulin Rouge. It is interesting to note that while Sarah Bernhardt was the star of this play, she also was the manager of the theater it was performed at.

Czech artist Alphons Mucha (1860-1939) liked drawing when he was a child, and at a young age started working as a theatrical scenery painter. In 1879, Mucha moved to Vienna to pursue this line of work, and soon after was sponsored to study at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts. The artist moved to Paris in 1887 to continue his studies at Académie Julian and Académie Colarossi. He soon became popular in the French capital for his paintings, illustrations and designs for jewelry and wallpapers, among others. His style became known as Art Nouveau, French for "New Art". Mucha usually depicted beautiful women surrounded by flowers and Neoclassical inspired robes. Mucha created posters for many brands, for LU he also designed posters, wrappers and other printed objects.

This is an Original Vintage Poster, not a reproduction. This poster is on heavyweight paper and is in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all our posters.