In the follow-up of historical series posts, based on the design history, we are going to see about posters. They have been largely used since a long time ago and have an important historical function. There are important political issues and also important marks for advertising. Let’s learn more about the historical aspect of the posters.
Broadsides
This kind of posters were used for public announcements, printed in one side, roughly and quickly made. It was a way to communicate about public matters in general and they were soon discarded. At first the letters were small, although these posters were meant to be read from a distance. As big metal casts were hard to make, they were used only for titles.
Wooden Type
The big metal casts were replaced by wooden casts, because wood was the more adequate material considering printing qualities and affordable price. It permitted bigger typography on posters, better for reading from distance.
Lithographic Posters
Alois Senefelder has searched for an alternative to the metal plate engraving and invented the process of lithography, which is based on the repulse of water and oil. The technique permitted printing letters or images, using a greasy crayon directly on the stone.
Posters of the Belle Époque
After the Industrial Revolution the middle class was born creating a new piece for market, spreading the posters as an art form. By this time, the posters were elevated to the status of fine art and the Art Nouveau arised.
Japanese Ukiyo-e prints
Ukiyo-e, “pictures of the floating world”, was a Japanese kind of art focused in the cultural pleasures. Many of the Ukiyo-e posters advertised about theatres, restaurants and brothels. They were made using lithography, first black and later colored.
Three stone lithographic process
With Jules Cheret’s new lithographic process, it was possible to get a large range of colors using the three stones with the primary colors red, yellow and blue. The process was difficult, but could generate great colors and nuances and also be inexpensive.
Poster Art through Europe and the United States
Posters became a way for advertising and educating people after the Industrial Revolution, creating new consumers. Before long there were beautiful women in images exhibiting products. The power of the image for persuasion was discovered. Some artists stood out and should be remembered, like:
Alphonse Mucha
After early education in Brno, Moravia, and work for a theatre scene-painting firm in Vienna, Mucha studied art in Prague, Munich, and Paris in the 1880s. He first became prominent as the principal advertiser of the actress Sarah Bernhardt in Paris. He designed the posters for several theatrical productions featuring Bernhardt, beginning with Gismonda (1894), and he designed sets and costumes for her as well. Mucha designed many other posters and magazine illustrations, becoming one of the foremost designers in the Art Nouveau style.
Taken from britannica.com
Official Mucha Site muchafoundation.org
Privat-Livemont
Was an artist born in Schaerbeek, Brussels, Belgium. He is best known for his Art Nouveau posters. From 1883 to 1889, he worked and studied in the studios of Lemaire, Lavastre & Duvignaud. He, with Lemaire, created the decor of the Theatre Francais as well as the Hotel de Ville. He later moved back to Brussels, and worked on theaters and casinos there.
Taken from wikipedia.org
Edward Penfield
Came to fame as a poster artist where precise use of line and color attracted the eye and the customers. It was a natural progression from posters to advertising, and Penfield excelled on these smaller canvases for clothiers, car makers, and Kodak. Also in demand for calendars and cover work for Collier’s, Life, Saturday Evening Post, and many others.
Taken from: americanartarchives.com
Official Penfield site : edwardpenfield.com
Henri Van de Velde
Belgian architect and teacher who ranks with his compatriot Victor Horta as an originator of the Art Nouveau style, characterized by long sinuous lines derived from naturalistic forms.
Taken from: britannica.com
Official Van de Velde Site: henry-van-de-velde.com
Beyond Art Nouveau
After the departure of three major Art Nouveau posterists, Mucha, Charret and Toulouse-Lautrec, the style started decaying. The brothers-in-law William Nicholson and James Pryde, Beggarstaff Brothers, revolutionized poster art with their simple and bold designs. The brothers used pseudonyms for their commercial art.
That’s it for now, in the second part we are going to talk about posters for the Great Wars, Social Activism and more.
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Are these original posters? What I like most about ancient posters are the designs. The design speaks for its meaning. I remember the old movies I’ve seen before with the wooden type “Murderer reward poster”. LOL
@Gabriel Sure they are original and done by masters! :D
Older posters were a lot less vivid – guess its a combination of technology (more vivid inks) and marketing (knowing how to catch peoples attention). That poster ‘sale of wife’ made me chuckle… I might mock one up, stick it in the living room and if the wife objects I’ll say I’m appreciating a nostalgic poster!
@Jon well they surely are less vivid, not only the inks also the papers and don’t forget no computers!!! omg
[...] this second part of posters’ history we can notice the graphic and ideological evolution that happened after the discovery of new [...]
Brilliant blog post, I am very much into Art Nouveau with the likes of Alphonse Mucha and Toulouse Le Trec. It is great that these are now seen as fine art. I suppose some posters designed today can be seen as good pieces of graphic design and graphic art but not a patch on the posters designed then. Going back to that style I love the posters designed by George Ham during the 30s and 50s. I look forward to reading part II.
[...] overview of the history of posters Part I and Part II by [...]
[...] History of Posters – Part I of II [...]
[...] History of Posters – Part I of II [...]
[...] History of Posters – Part I of II [...]