A few days ago, I had the opportunity to visit the “Posters of Paris” exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum. It concentrated on the poster craze that took place in P
aris at the end of the 19th century. Posters and printmaking revolutionized not only advertising but also the art industry, as the posters which decorated the streets of Paris became “art for the masses”. For something that seems so conventional to us today, it is amazing to think of how extraordinary it must have seemed to the people at that time. All of a sudden, art and the beginning of graphic design was there in public for the world to see, and now it has turned into a major industry for the world still today, as we try to find new and unique ways of capitalizing on our current digital age. The exhibit features many artists such as Chéret, Toulouse-Lautrec, and, my personal favorite, Mucha. It is well worth the visit, not only for the brilliant designs of the featured artwork, but also because of its current relevance. The exhibit is at the Milwaukee Art Museum until September 9th.
Jules Chéret, 1878
Related articles
- Looking at “Posters of Paris” Through the Lens of Graphic Design (mam.org)
- Exhibition Celebrates the art of Toulouse-Lautrec and the Paris Belle Epoque (wisn.com)
- Milwaukee Art Museum hosting French posters exhibit (fox6now.com)
- Milwaukee museum hosts French posters exhibit (cbsnews.com)
- Posters of Paris (finebooksmagazine.com)
- Milwaukee museum hosts French posters exhibit (channel3000.com)
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