In the bustling streets of Paris during the late 19th century, a visual revolution was taking place. Artists like Alphonse Mucha and Jules Chéret were pioneering a new form of communication: the advertising poster. These arresting works of art not only advertised products and events–their ostensible purpose–they somehow captured the essence of the era. In years to come, the best of these would become indelible symbols of the age, soon to be christened by historians as the Belle Époque: the beautiful time.

The Belle Époque Masters: Mucha and Chéret

Alphonse Mucha, a Czech artist working in Paris during this period, is today credited as the founder of the Art Nouveau movement. In fact, the posterist was so influential that the style was originally referred to as le Style Mucha: the Mucha Style. As much as the work of any single artist, his posters, characterized by flowing lines, intricate details and ethereal female figures, epitomized the Belle Époque aesthetic. One of Mucha’s most famous works, “JOB Cigarettes”, features a graceful woman surrounded by swirling smoke and the flaxen tresses of her hair, imbuing the pedestrian product–cigarette papers–with gilt and glamour.

Job Cigarettes by Alphonse Mucha, 1896. Lithograph, size: 45 x 15 inches. | Photo: Andy England

Jules Chéret, often referred to as the father of the modern poster, upended the advertising world with his idiosyncratic use of color and composition. Cheret’s posters were uniquely lively and eye-catching, featuring bold typography and dynamic figures, making him a magnet for advertisers trying to reach an increasingly sophisticated audience. Some of the master posterist’s most celebrated creations are the works he created for Saxoléine, a lamp oil, as shown below.

Saxoleine by Jules Chéret, 1900. Lithograph, size: 49 x 33.5 inches. 

The Rise of Cappiello and Villemot

As the 20th century dawned, new artistic movements emerged, and advertising posters continued to evolve. An Italian-born artist working in France, Leonetto Cappiello was busily creating a bold and modern approach that would forever transform poster design. His posters were characterized by vivid colors, exaggerated perspectives, and strikingly simple compositions, and they remain some of the most recognizable artworks in the world. Cappiello would eventually come to be known as the father of modern advertising, and his exquisite “Maurin Quina” (AKA Green Devil) is a prime example of the artist’s playful humor and singular visual flair.

Maurin Quina (“Green Devil”) by Leonetto Cappiello, 1906. Lithograph, size: 63 x 47 inches. | Photo: Andy England

Raymond Savignac and Bernard Villemot further pushed the boundaries of poster art with their work in the mid-20th century. Savignac’s whimsical and humorous style expressed the exhilaration of post-war optimism, while Villemot’s sleek and daring designs epitomized the cool and sophistication of advertising’s much-lionized Mad Men era. With a knack for conveying the essence of a product or message with just a few carefully chosen elements, Villemot created posters that were both visually captivating and instantly memorable. His “Orangina” is a distinctive example of his iconic approach, featuring the artist’s characteristically bold color palette and minimal, modern composition.

Orangina by Bernard Villemot, 1953. Lithograph, size: 23  x 17.5 inches. | Photo: Joe Bonadio

The Golden Age of Travel and Cinema Posters

In the mid- to late-20th century, travel posters became a beloved and sought after genre of vintage ad posters. Enticing viewers with exotic destinations and romanticized visions of leisure and adventure, artists like Roger Broders, E. McKnight-Kaufer and David Klein created scores of stylish travel posters for companies like Pan Am, Air France and TWA, capturing the glamour and excitement of the newly minted Western jet set.

Air France poster by Guy Georget, 1963. Lithograph, size: 24 x 39 inches. | Photo: Joe Bonadio

Meanwhile, classic movie posters were slowly becoming an integral part of the vintage poster phenomenon, playing an outsized role in Hollywood’s golden age, and helping to immortalize many of film’s brightest stars. Artists like Saul Bass, Drew Struzan and many others created unforgettable posters for movies like “Vertigo” (1958) and “Star Wars” (1977), deftly combining artistic skill with broad commercial appeal.

Vertigo movie poster by Saul Bass, 1958. Lithograph, size: 27 x 41 inches. | Photo: Joe Bonadio

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