POSTER TITLE: 1950s Vintage Lithograph of La Belle Epoque 1890s Pierre Bonnard Poster Les Peintres Graveurs, Paris
ARTIST/DESIGNER: Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947)
PRINTER: Auguste Clot
COUNTRY: Printed in France
MATERIAL: Lithograph
TYPE: Advertising Poster
BRAND/COMPANY: Exhibition Les Peintres Graveurs, 1896
DATE/PERIOD: designed in 1896, this vintage lithograph was printed in the 1950s
DIMENSIONS: (23.5 x 31 cm) (9.25 x 12.25 inches)
CONDITION: (A-) Fine. This lithograph is a later printing from the 1950s
ARTIST/DESIGNER BACKGROUND: Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) was a French painter, illustrator, and printmaker known for his bold use of color and stylized decorative qualities. At the age of 24, Bonnard made his debut in lithography and poster design with his notable French-Champagne poster. He later formed a professional bond with Toulouse-Lautrec, whom he introduced to his printers in Paris, Ancourt. Lautrec would later have his famous poster for the Moulin Rouge printed there.
BRAND/COMPANY BACKGROUND: The image depicted in this poster is a public announcement for the "Les Peintres Graveurs" exhibit organized by Ambrose Vollard in 1896. Vollard was a famed merchant and promoter of Cezanne and the Nabis group, which included Bonnard. Bonnard designed this poster as a promotional tool, characterized by subdued and flat tonal colors and unique lettering styles. The printer was Auguste Clot (1858-1936), who acted as the house printer for Ambroise Vollard and developed a close business relationship with Bonnard and Edouard Vuillard.
STORY/DESCRIPTION: The collaboration between Bonnard, Vuillard, and Clot produced some of the most revered and iconic works of this period. The Nabis, a group of young artists that emerged in 1890, aimed to achieve a "beauty beyond visibility." The group included Bonnard, Maurice Denis, Henri Ibels, Paul Ranson, Ker Roussel, Paul Serusier, and Edouard Vuillard, with Paul Gauguin being a key inspiration. This promotional poster, heralding the launch of the exhibit, remains a lasting image of this new wave of creative talent in the 1890s.