Antique French Posters: An Evolving Art Form

While they have been around for many, many years, antique French posters are enjoying a revitalized popularity in modern cultures. Originally produced in the early to mid 1900s, these posters were like the snapshots of their generation, often used as advertisements for a product or show. The unique way in which they are painted, an astounding mix of real life and art make them very popular. Most of these posters have a hint of comedy painted in, some are very tongue in cheek. These posters can be divided into many categories, another reason they are so popular.

Travel Posters
These beautiful posters use the bright colors of exotic locations to bring scenes to life. Many posters in this genre feature women luxuriating in the sun, often alone. This interpretation represents the emerging independence and power of young women as they broke from the conventional modes of society. Other posters show families gathered around an attraction or picnic. Posters advertising vacations in the mountains, Cannes, Monte Carlo, and other destinations were some of the most popular of the time. Artist, Gustave Fraipont is probably the best known painter of these travel posters in their earliest form.

Food and Beverage Posters
The majority of posters in this genre featured alcohol, usually in the hands of a very happy man. These posters, again, usually served as ads, selling wine, champagne, and everything in between. Other popular posters included ads for chocolate, another French passion. In those ads, children are usually shown, gobbling up the sugary treat. While the colors in these posters are still bright (that was a defining factor in this type of art) they were a bit more subdued than those in the travel posters.

Music Posters
In a time when movies were only beginning to emerge, society had another form of entertainment in music. Jazz was popular during this period, and shows up on many antique French posters. Paintings of beautiful women dripping in jewels and men playing a variety of instruments are often depicted. Before television commercials and magazines, these posters were the main form of propaganda and advertisement for musical stars. As they were displayed around the city, sometimes with the dates and times of shows, onlookers could see different facets of a performer's personality.

Auto and Cycle Posters
Automobiles were seen as a novelty during this time period, so they often showed up on these antique posters. Cycling was both a popular sport and common way to travel, so it was also depticted. Men performing tricks on bicycles was a popular depiction, while automobiles were often sh own with a mob of females gathered around.

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