Jules Chéret – Father of Modern Poster

According to the French historian Max Gallo, «for over two hundred years, posters have been displayed in public places all over the world. Visually striking, they have been designed to attract the attention of passers-by, making us aware of a political viewpoint, enticing us to attend specific events, or encouraging us to purchase a particular product or service.» The modern poster, as we know it, however, dates back to 1870 when the printing industry perfected colour lithography and made mass production possible.

Jules Chéret is considered to be the «father» of advertisement placards. He was a pencil artist and a scene decorator, who founded a small lithography office in Paris in 1866. He used striking characters, contrast and bright colours, and created over 1000 advertisements, primarily for exhibitions, theatres, and products. The industry soon attracted the service of many aspiring painters who needed a source of revenue to support themselves.