Father of the Modern Poster

Cheret, Jules - Taverne Olympia (pl 217)

Taverne Olympia advertisement, ca.1896-1900

Jules Chéret, lithographer and painter who created posters for cabarets, theatres, music halls and various other advertisements of the day, was born on May 31, 1836. Why I include him here in this blog is because of his very colorful and well-designed approach to his posters, which are both works of art and effective advertisements. Capturing the spirit of the late 1800's, known as the Belle Époque, Chéret took his influences of the Rococo and made it into something fun and eye-catching without being tacky or melodramatic. In fact, Chéret displays an uncanny ability to utilize colour harmony with effortless charm, and his drawing style is based on a Classical sensibility but slightly exaggerated for the sake of entertainment.

In the above example despite its simplicity we see design elements at work, from the way her dress points downward to the restaurant info to the way the two figure's glasses are raised unevenly to heighten the name above in bright yellow font. The way her hat covers up part of the bottom font of Taverne is a design element commonly used to this day on the cover of magazines throughout the world.

Vin Mariani advertisement, 1896-1900

Here the main figure in yellow forms a dynamic x-shape against a blue background. Her left knee points toward the description, while her left arm curves as it pours the wine, mimicking the curve of the letters above her, and her dress points upward to reinforce the title. The faded figure behind her raises her glass up and also reinforces the unique title which is in bold red with black outlines...Chéret knew that the name of this product would not be easy to remember and made the design of the poster revolve around remembering Vin Mariani.

Cheret, Jules - Quinquina Dubonet (pl 29)

Quinquina Dubonnet advertisement, 1895

I love the subtle complementary colors in this composition, with another dynamic figure indicating the information with her dress and arms. What he did here with the coloring of the letters is particularly clever in that the first letters in red and in the remaining letters of the aperitif catches our eye and directs it back to her hair, which redirects back to her dress and arms and the whole composition. As painters we can learn much about using color here to direct the eye towards key elements of the composition.

Below are some of Chéret's drawings, which are again fun, charming and very eloquent...

Cheret, Jules - Woman with Fan (lithograph, 1896)

Cheret, Jules - Spring Flower (lithograph, 1897)

Cheret, Jules - Summer Concert (lithograph, 1896)

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Isaac Levitan, Russian Poet of Nature

Before the Storm, 1890 Born August 30, 1860, Isaac Ilyich Levitan was a Russian landscape painter. Born in Congress Poland to a Jewish family, Levitan would study art in Moscow where he would become friends with Anton Chekov and his brother, Nikolay who was also an artist. Levitan's work has a unique mood that is very distinct from the Impressionism of France and the Classicism of Russia...sometimes compared to Monet but still different. Levitan has a rare presence with astute attention to detail and a fascination with light at different times of day. At times highly accurate, while in his more personal work deeply Impressionistic and imbued with rich tone and color. There is something about Levitan that lingers in your mind long after seeing his work...in a way that is individual and personal, not attached to a specific genre or movement, but to the world around him. In Before the Storm , Levitan captures a moment so stunning it seems to defy words...of sunlight piercing ...

More Old Master Drawings

There is nothing in all the world more beautiful or significant of the laws of the universe than the nude human body. Robert Henri Charles Louis Müller , A Standing Female Nude Leaning Against an Arch, ca.1864 Once again I decided to talk about some Old Master drawings and delve into the thinking behind how these drawings may have been created and the knowledge of the artist. In the above drawing by Müller, done in sanguine with white chalk highlights, the figure is drawn from a low view-point, with her body twisting toward her left side while resting on one knee. Note how Müller alternates the bent right leg with the bent left arm to create dynamic contrast. The right arm is also foreshortened and partially in shadow. Expressing power and femininity, this is a study that is Renaissance in spirit, even Mannerist, revealing the female nude as sculptural yet always graceful. Anton Raphael Mengs , Seated male nude viewed from the back, 1755 One of several Academic nu...

The Genius of Ramon Casas

Open Air Interior, 1892 Born on January 4, 1866 in Barcelona, Ramon Casas i Carbó was a Spanish portrait painter and graphic designer. He was a contemporary of Santiago Rusiñol , both founders of the Spanish art movement modernisme . Where Santiago painted pensive interiors and moody landscapes, Casas focused more on the portrait and figure with a penchant for costume and posture. His palette often consists of more muted tones with vibrant color accents. Casas enjoyed a lengthy and prominent career throughout Europe and South America where he often exhibited in shows with his friend Rusiñol. In Open Air Interior above, Casas encapsulates a quiet moment outdoors during tea time. I love these kind of paintings for their calm visual intensity. The way that man sits in his chair, lost in thought while his wife carefully stirs her tea...this is the kind of mindfulness in the subjects that makes us, the viewer, envision ourselves in this scene. Casas paints the far wall of the house...

beside the easel

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