Maîtres de l’Affiche

A hand-painted replica of Jules Chéret’s masterpiece Maîtres de l’Affiche, meticulously crafted by professional artists to capture the true essence of the original. Each piece is created with museum-quality canvas and rare mineral pigments, carefully painted by experienced artists with delicate brushstrokes and rich, layered colors to perfectly recreate the texture of the original artwork. Unlike machine-printed reproductions, this hand-painted version brings the painting to life, infused with the artist’s emotions and skill in every stroke. Whether for personal collection or home decoration, it instantly elevates the artistic atmosphere of any space.

Maîtres de l’Affiche (Masters of the Poster) is not a single artwork but rather a celebrated series of lithographic prints published between 1895 and 1900 under the direction of Jules Chéret, a pioneering French artist and lithographer often referred to as the "father of the modern poster." This collection was created during the golden age of poster art, a period when advancements in color lithography and the rise of urban advertising led to the flourishing of poster design as both a commercial and artistic medium.

The series, officially titled Les Maîtres de l'Affiche, consisted of 256 high-quality lithographic plates that reproduced some of the most iconic posters of the late 19th century. These plates were issued monthly in sets of four, with a total of 72 issues, and were printed in a reduced format (approximately 11 x 15 inches) compared to the original large-scale posters. The collection featured works by some of the most prominent poster artists of the time, including Jules Chéret himself, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Alphonse Mucha, Théophile Steinlen, and many others. The posters represented a wide range of styles, from Art Nouveau to Belle Époque, and showcased advertisements for products, performances, and events, as well as purely decorative designs.

Jules Chéret, who curated the series, was instrumental in elevating the status of the poster from a purely commercial tool to a recognized art form. His own contributions to the collection exemplify his mastery of color, composition, and the depiction of lively, graceful figures, often referred to as "Chérettes." These figures became a hallmark of his work and a symbol of the vibrant, optimistic spirit of the Belle Époque.

The Maîtres de l'Affiche series was highly popular among collectors and art enthusiasts of the time, as it offered an affordable and accessible way to own reproductions of some of the most celebrated posters of the era. Today, the collection is regarded as an important historical record of the development of poster art and remains a valuable resource for scholars and collectors. Individual plates from the series are still sought after and are often displayed in museums and galleries dedicated to graphic arts and design.

The Maîtres de l'Affiche series stands as a testament to the artistic and cultural significance of posters during the late 19th century and highlights the contributions of Jules Chéret and his contemporaries to the evolution of modern graphic design.