Stanley Appelbaum - The Complete "Masters of the poster"

Les Maîtres de l'Affiche was originally issued as separate numbered sheets measuring 11 1/4 x 15 1/2 inches.

Every month for 5 years, from December 1895 through November 1900, subscribers received a wrapper containing four consecutively numbered poster reproductions.   On 16 occasions, the monthly wrapper also contained a bonus plate, not a poster reproduction, but a specially created art lithograph.

Jules Chéret, father of the modern poster, is credited with creating the lion's share of the plates, 60 of the 240 numbered poster reproductions and 7 of the 16 unnumbered bonus plates.

Of the 97 artists represented in Les Maîtres de l'Affiche, some were pre-eminent painters and printmakers at various stages of their careers: Toulouse-Lautrec, Denis, Bonnard, Vallotton, and Puvis de Chavannes. Others were famous illustrators and cartoonists of the period, well known to art collectors and bibliophiles: Forain, Caran d'Ache, Ibels, Willete, Boutet de Monvel, Léandre.

In addition to Chéret, there were also many others whose names we now associate with the concept of  "the poster", the pioneers and conquerors of the new medium: Mucha, Steinlen, the Beggarstaffs, Grasset, Penfield, Parrish, Bradley, and Hardy.

This edition of Les Maîtres de l'Affiche reproduces the plates in their original numerical sequence, one to a page, retaining the standardised tan border introduced by the original editors of Les Maîtres.

The bonus plates, originally unnumbered and issued at various times, have been given the letters A through P and have been placed at the end of the volume.

The List of Plates indicates the exact months in which Maîtres subscribers received these bonus plates. In order to keep the plate pages uncluttered, the captions on those pages have been limited to plate number (or letter) and the artist's name.

The List of Plates also furnishes essential data on the original full-sized posters: specific dimensions, the year in which they were first published, city of publication, and specific print shop responsible.

A special and unique Dover feature, is a full literal translation of the text of all posters printed in a language other than English. These are all new direct translations from French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Czech, and Hungarian.

This edition is truly spectacular and is a beautiful book for all art lovers and history aficionados!

Reprint of the Imprimerie Chaix, Paris, 1895-1900 edition.

Please note that if you buy books which are pre-orders and in stock together, your order will not be shipped until all the items are released. If you want to get the items in stock sooner, the best way is to make two orders!

THANK YOU :)