Once upon a belle époque, Jules Chéret and his posters were the toast of Paris. It was the Art Nouveau era, a time when works like those created by Chéret were key to the fabric of the cosmopolitan thoroughfare in the French capital. Today, this extraordinary artist and printer is little known.
It was Chéret who transformed the street advert into the most expressive and coveted art form of the late 1800s. Think: a red-headed belle in a flimsy yellow dress, frolicking through a field of blue as she pours a glass of “tonic wine,” with the brand name Vin Mariani wafting about her.
Through his bold advances in chromolithography and the graphic arts, Chéret and the younger talents he inspired — like Pierre Bonnard, Alphonse Mucha and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec — along with other artists, turned the stone-gray streets of Paris into a kaleidoscopic, ever-changing urban spectacle.
Raised in a family of poor Parisian artisans, Jules Chéret was apprenticed to a lithographer at 13. Although he took a class at the École nationale de dessin, as an artist, he was largely self-taught, schooling himself in art history and technique by visiting remarkable works at museums. When his first solo poster designs failed to garner further commissions, Chéret, then 23, relocated to London, where colorful but text-heavy posters enlivened the streets.
The move proved pivotal, as he soon found work with the French expat Eugène Rimmel, a visionary businessman and one of the founders of the beauty and healthcare industries. A brilliant marketer, he regularly produced colorful, elegantly illustrated and culturally sophisticated catalogues to publicize House of Rimmel cosmetics and fragrances. These and other promotional ventures kept Chéret busy, while sharpening his understanding of the commercial potential of print.
So, when he learned of the invention of a press that could print large-scale formats inexpensively, Chéret recognized an opportunity to become his own boss. Now 30 years old, he returned to Paris with the financial support of Rimmel to establish his own print shop specializing in jumbo-size street posters and set about forging a fresh, eye-catching approach to their design.
Chéret accelerated the process of chromolithography by adding a stone with a graduated background that scaled in hue from orange to blue. With this, in addition to red- and black-pigmented stones, he could make vibrant posters more quickly and cheaply. In the late 1870s, his acquisition of steam-powered presses further sped up production and dramatically increased the volume of his output.
But perhaps Chéret’s greatest contribution to our world today was a simple insight into an eternal truth: Sex sells. The best way to market a product is to put a pretty, revealingly dressed young woman in the ad. In the 1890s, Chéret put so many to work in this cause that they came to be known as “Chérettes,” a conflation of chérie (“darling”) and Chéret.
Descended from the enchanting mademoiselles in the bucolic painterly confections of Rococo artists like Antoine Watteau and Jean-Honoré Fragonard, all smiles and femininity, they fused the present with the past, making them potent symbols of a newly affluent and peaceful France.
Find original Jules Chéret posters and prints and other Art Nouveau posters on 1stDibs.
$35,000
"La Belle Epoque", Original Jules Chèret oil on board painting, 13x9 in., Figure
By Jules Chéret
Located in Dallas, TX
Jules Cheret (May 31, 1836 - September 23, 1932) was a French painter and lithographer who became a master of poster art. Often called the father of the modern poster. This piece is ...
Oil, Board
$18,025
H 36 in W 32.5 in
Le Secret - Art Nouveau Figures in Landscape Oil Painting by Michel Simonidy
By Michel Simonidy
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed and dated Art Nouveau oil on board figures in landscape by Romanian painter Michel Simonidy. The piece depicts an autumnal scene with two women standing beside a fountain at n...
Oil, Board
Portrait of a Young Boy Seen from Behind
Located in Stockholm, SE
This intimate oil painting presents a young boy viewed from a three-quarter rear angle, caught in a quiet, reflective moment. The child’s back is turned gently toward the viewer, ren...
Canvas, Oil, Board
Catalan peasant oil on canvas painting spanish
By Luis Graner Y Arrufi
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Oil mesures 36x23 cm. Frameless. Restored.
Canvas, Board, Oil
$4,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 18.9 in W 30.52 in
Beautiful Italian Art Nouveau Portrait of two women
By Adriano Goby
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful Italian Art Nouveau style portrait of two women by Adriano Goby. Signed low-right.
Canvas, Oil
$2,956
H 10.24 in Dm 10.24 in
Portrait of Noblewoman - Oil on Canvas by Anonymous Master Early 20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Beautiful circular oil on canvas representing the portrait of a Noblewoman dressed in Art Nouveau Style. It includes a contemporary black wooden frame. Very good conditions.
Oil
$3,700
H 47 in W 38 in
Empress II - Original Sally K Figurative Portrait Artwork on Canvas
By Sally K
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lebanese American artist Sally K.'s captivating floral portraits are both mesmerizing and empowering. Her pop-realistic paintings are inspired by strong, feminine women, celebrating the individuality and inherent strength of the female experience. Each painting features endless floral arrangements that frame the mysterious visages of beautiful women, creating a stunning celebration of floral abstraction and wild, fanciful coloration. Lavish in application and luxurious in composition, Sally K.'s work is inspired by pop art, culture, and fashion, resulting in a powerful, visually stunning artwork that captures the essence of femininity. This monochrome 47-inch high by 38-inch wide painting is created with acrylic paint with green paint accents on canvas. It is stretched, wired, and ready to hang. This floral figurative artwork is signed by the artist on the front of the artwork. The sides are a continuation of the painting and it is stretched, wired, and ready to hang. Free local Los Angeles area delivery. Convenient U.S. and global shipping is available. A certificate of authenticity issued by the art gallery is included. Sally K. is an Ohio-born artist of Lebanese heritage who spent her formative years in Saudi Arabia before attending high school and college in Beirut. She graduated with distinction from the Lebanese American University of Beirut, earning a BA in Fine Arts. After moving back to the United States in 2013, Sally K. and her family eventually relocated once more to Qatar in 2019. Sally's multicultural background and diverse experiences inform her artistic vision, resulting in a unique style that blends Middle Eastern and Western influences. Sally K's work is a celebration of femininity, strength, and individuality, reflecting her own journey as a woman and artist. Her captivating portraits of contemporary women are a masterful blend of abstract expressionism and portrait painting, featuring vibrant blooms that create a dreamlike aura around her powerful subjects. Her paintings not only capture the beauty of women but also their confidence and strength, conveying a powerful femininity that inspires and empowers. With alluring, flirtatious, and demure features, Sally's portraits radiate sensuality, independence, and confidence - the very qualities that define strong women. Sally's portraits are intensely personal, as each woman she paints is an extension of her own feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Through her work, she captures the qualities that captivate her in other women - the qualities she admires and strives to gain for herself. Her paintings are a celebration of the complexities and strengths of women, conveyed through a masterful use of color, texture, and composition. Sally K's use of occlusion, a technique where she covers the eyes of the figures, adds a layer of depth and complexity to her pop-realistic artworks. This technique creates a sense of mystery and intrigue that invites the viewer to contemplate the inner life of the subjects, while the lack of eye contact encourages a deeper emotional connection with the painting. As a result, viewers are able to engage with the piece on a more personal and intimate level, experiencing a range of emotions and reactions that are unique to them. The sense of mystery and depth allows for a more immersive and personalized experience, making Sally K's works truly captivating and thought-provoking. Sally draws inspiration from photography, pop culture, and fashion as well as artists ranging from the pop art of Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock to the gilded florals and figures of Gustav Klimt. Her highly regarded paintings have been featured in group and solo shows in Beirut, Dubai, Italy, Switzerland, and the USA. They have been collected worldwide. Notable collectors include Jesse McCartney and Kelly Clarkson. REPRESENTATION Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, USA EXHIBITIONS 2024 Affordable Art Fair, New York, NY 2024 Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA 2024 Affordable Art Fair, Austin, TX 2023 Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA 2022 “Identity with a Chance of Imperfection”, Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA 2022 “Saturate Euphoria”, Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA 2021 Affordable Art Fair New York, NY 2021 “Splatters of Life”, Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA 2020 LA Art Show, CA 2020 Art Palm Springs, CA 2019 Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong 2019 Affordable Art Fair New York 2019 Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA 2018 "Colored Whipped Cream," Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA 2018 Threshold Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 2018 484 North Gallery, Laguna Beach 2013 Beirut Art Beat 2009 Lebanese Artists Association 2009 Gallery Surface Libre 2008 Lebanese Painters Exhibition 2007 Café De Prague Hamra 2007 Cream Saifi Village 2007 Matignion Gallery, Horsh Tabet 2007 Drops Batroun (permanent) 2007 Cloud Nine Jemaizeh (permanent) 2007 Tribecca Monnot 2006 Art Lounge, Beirut, Lebanon 2006 MILK Jemaizeh (permanent) 2006 Gauche Caviar Jemaizeh (permanent) 2006 ESCWA Riad El Solh 2006 Tapas Jemaizeh (permanent) 2006 Zinc Achrafieh 2006 Blush Monot 2006 The Basement Jemaizeh 2005 Solo Gallery Show, Art Lounge, Beirut 2005 Zinc Achrafieh 2005 Tribecca Monot Café 2004 Paul Guiragossian...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$29,562
H 73.63 in W 48.43 in
Dipinto Figurativo toscano ritratto femminile nobile belle époque del XIX secolo
By Michele Gordigiani
Located in Florence, IT
Ritratto femminile (olio su tela, 154 x 91 cm; con cornice dorata e intagliata, 187 x 123 cm). È firmato in basso a sinistra MGordigiani. Il nostro dipinto, a figura di tre-quarti,...
Canvas, Oil
Seated Woman
By François Diana
Located in London, GB
'Seated Woman', oil on board, by François Diana (circa 1970s). This work of sumptuous colour and sensuous subject matter elicits an immediate response. ...
Oil, Board
$1,200
H 36.25 in W 28 in D 1.5 in
Art Nouveau Ballerina Painting by Mystery European Artist
Located in New York, NY
Mystery European Artist Untitled, c. 20th Century Oil on canvas board 31 x 22 3/4 in. Framed: 36 1/4 x 28 x 1 1/2 in. Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil, Board
FRANCOISE WITH HAMSTER
By Angel Botello
Located in Aventura, FL
Original painting on board. Hand signed on front by the artist. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of Authenticity included. All reasonable offers will be considered.
Oil, Board
$2,536Sale Price|20% Off
H 39.38 in W 27.56 in D 0.79 in
Malua Rosea Multiplex (painting monochrome Grey vintage lady Botany flowers)
By Rudolf Kosow
Located in Quebec, Quebec
keywords; surrealism, portrait, oil painting, earth tones, figurative painting, strangeness, contemporary surrealistic, unsettling, contemporary figurative painting, dreams, symbolic composition, dream, men , romantic, flesh tones, portrait, earth tones, tonalist, nostalgia, early 20th century, naturalist, illustration, woman, flora, grey art, yellow shoes...
Canvas, Oil
$7,600Sale Price|20% Off
H 15.75 in W 15.36 in
Portrait of Lore Lahusen, Art Nouveau Oil on Wood, Early 20th Century
Located in New York, NY
Signed with monogram HLv: Excellent condition.
Oil, Wood Panel
Playing Tambourine
By Jules Chéret
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
An enchanting expressive oil on canvas illustration of two beautiful women, one playing a tambourine. Wonderful contrast in colour and superbly brushed almost dreamlike painting. Sig...
Canvas, Oil