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.[1]

Thumb
Front cover (Paul Berthon)

Publishing history

The varied selection of prints were sold in packages of four and delivered monthly to subscribers. On sixteen occasions during the selling period between December 1895 through November 1900, the monthly package included a bonus of a specially created lithograph.

A complete set, in five volumes, was sold in 2014 for US$43,450.[2]

  • Les Maîtres de l'affiche: volume 1 (in French). Paris: Chaix. 1895.
Volume 1 contains plates 1 to 48 and two original drawings by Jules Chéret.
The posters are on the Commons page : Posters in volume 1 of Maîtres de l'affiche
Volume 2 contains plates 49 to 96and two original drawings by Jules Chéret and Adolphe Willette.
The posters are on the Commons page : Posters in volume 2 of Maîtres de l'affiche
Volume 3 contains plates 97 to 144 and four original drawings by Jules Chéret, Georges de Feure, Henri-Gabriel Ibels and Théophile Alexandre Steinlen
The posters are on the Commons page : Posters in volume 3 of Maîtres de l'affiche
Volume 4 contains plates 145 to 192 and four original drawings by Jules Chéret, Crafty (artist) [fr], Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen et Adolphe Willette.
The posters are on the Commons page : Posters in volume 4 of Maîtres de l'affiche
Volume 5 contains plates 193 to 240 and four original drawings by Paul Berthon, Jules Chéret(2) et Charles Léandre. (plates No.204 et No.212 are missing)
The posters are on the Commons page : Posters in volume 5 of Maîtres de l'affiche

Selected posters

All the poster, in alphabetical order, can be seen on the Commons page: Les Maîtres de l'Affiche.

The artists

Indexes of posters in the collection are given after names of their authors.

References

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