Jules Cheret: the father of the French advertising poster

The beginnings of Jules Cheret

Jules Cheret (1836-1932) , son of a typographer, after studying the industrial processes of typography in London, he created his first poster in 1858 for the show " Orphée aux enfers " by Offenbach.

He is not just an illustrator but also a real poster producer . By opening his lithography workshop in 1866 , he produced more than a thousand, becoming the most prolific French poster artist of his time (along with the Franco-Italian Cappiello). He is also known to have contributed greatly to the progress of printing by having worked on the superposition of colors.

 

Poster by Jules Chéret “ Orphée aux enfers ” 1858 (original)

 

The Jules Chéret Style

The Chéret Style was established after 1860 and is often perfectly identifiable . Ahead of Art Nouveau carried by Alphonse Mucha, Chéret draws his inspiration from the Neo-Rococo style and Japanese prints. The central character is often a pretty woman (we call them "Les chérettes") - she is often lightly undressed, within the limits of what is acceptable, and often contrasts with the background by wearing bright colors of the three primary colors ( blue will subsequently give way to red and yellow). Jules Chéret inspired many artists (PAL, Grün or Choubrac, Privat Livremont among others).

Jules Chéret poster " Bal at the Moulin Rouge " framed (1889)

Jules Cheret's most famous posters:

1. Advertising poster " Orphée aux enfers ": this poster is the very first poster by Jules Cheret - it therefore has a symbolic character.
2. Advertising poster " Bal au Moulin Rouge ": one of the first posters for the famous French cabaret: the Moulin Rouge.
3. Advertising poster " Festival of Flowers ": a poster created for the spa resort of Bagnères-de-Luchon for the historic event of the village: the flower festival.
4. “ Benzo Engine ” advertising poster: a poster created for the Benzo Engine gasoline brand.
5. Advertising poster " l'Arc en ciel ": a poster created for the Folies Bergère pantomime ballet.

The legacy of Jules Chéret

Nowadays, Jules Chéret's posters are considered true works of art and the originals can fetch significant sums. Jules Chéret was consecrated by his peers as the "Master of the Poster" - a name taken up by the monthly publication of the Masters of the Poster.

Find a wide selection of High Definition reproductions of Jules Chéret posters at Poster Vintage .