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Modern Posters

MODERN STYLE

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chaircrafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

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Style: Modern
Color:  Brown
The 46th Annual Exhibition of Advertising and Editorial Art and Design Poster
Located in New York, NY
First edition, 4-color offset printed poster of this influential and now iconic Psychedelic-era image, commissioned as a call for entries for the 46th annual Exhibition of Advertising and Editorial Art and Design. Designed by Tom Daly, who also did the body painting with theatrical greasepaint and water-soluble acrylics on model Wandy Embry, and photographed by Kenneth Harris...
Category

1960s American Vintage Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

Bally Ballet Original Vintage French Fashion Poster by Fix-Masseau, 1981
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
This is an original vintage poster linen backed for preservation Artist Fix-Masseau Year 1980 Dimensions 125 X 164cm Condition Good.
Category

1980s French Vintage Modern Posters

Materials

Linen, Paper

Original 1992 Barcelona Olympic Poster Designed by Jean-Michel Folon
Located in London, GB
Jean-Michel Folon (1 March 1934 – 20 October 2005) was a Belgian artist, illustrator, painter, and sculptor The first exhibition of his watercolors was in New York in 1969 in the Lefebre Gallery. One year later he exhibited in Tokyo and in the Il Milione gallery in Milan. He also participated in the XXVth Venice Biennale. In 1973 he joined the selection of Belgian artists in the XXVth São Paulo Biennale, where he was granted the Grand Prize in Painting. Over the years his work concentrated on different techniques, including watercolor, etching, silkscreen, illustrations, mosaics, and stained glass, which showed the diversity of his art. His work Ein Baum stirbt - Un albero muore, 1974, is by Museo Cantonale d’Arte [de] of Lugano. He also designed numerous posters, often for humanitarian causes. Around 1988 he created his first sculptures made out of wood. He then moved on to creating sculptures in clay, plaster, bronze and marble, while continuing to paint. Several museums dedicated exhibitions to him, among them the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 1971, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam in 1976, the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London in 1977, the Musée Picasso in Antibes...
Category

1990s Belgian Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

Original French Vintage Poster, 'Fête Des Mères', 1950s, Advertising
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Original French vintage poster, 'Fête Des Mères' This is an original vintage advertising poster for Mother's Day. It has been linen backed for preser...
Category

1950s French Vintage Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

Original Barcelona Olympic Poster 1992 by Eduardo Arroyo
Located in London, GB
Eduardo Arroyo Rodríguez (26 February 1937 – 14 October 2018) was a Spanish painter and graphic artist. He was also active as an author and set designer. Arroyo, who was born in M...
Category

1990s Spanish Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

Original Barcelona 1992 Olympic Poster by Josep Guinovart for the XXV Olympiad
Located in London, GB
Josep Guinovart (20 March 1927 in Barcelona – 12 December 2007 in Barcelona) was a Catalan painter most famous for his informalist or abstract expressi...
Category

1990s Spanish Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

Original Barcelona Olympic Poster by Antoni Clavé for the XXV Olympiad
Located in London, GB
Antoni Clavé (5 April 1913 – 1 September 2005) was a Catalan master painter, printmaker, sculptor, stage designer and costume designer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design) for his work on the 1952 film Hans Christian Andersen. Clavé was one of Spain's best known and most celebrated artists. His work evolved from a baroque, ornamental style to a pure, minimal aesthetic. In his later years, his work is completely abstract, employing expressive lines and exploring the boundaries of collage, objet trove, shading, texture and color. He was trained at the School of Fine Arts, Barcelona, where he was taught by Angel Ferrant and Felix Mestres. With his works being influenced by artists such as Bonnard, Vuillard and Roualt. He is best known for his lyrical abstractions, works which combine paint with collage. Clavé fought in the Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War, and served as draughtsman for the Republican government. He arrived in France as a refugee in 1939 and went straight to Paris to work as an illustrator. His first one-man exhibition was held at the Au sans Pareil bookshop, 37 Avenue Kleber in Paris in 1940, where Max Ernst and other leading figures from the Dada movement had their first exhibitions in the 1920s. In 1944 Clavé met Picasso and began making figure compositions that were deeply influenced by Picasso's work, featuring kings, harlequins, children, and still lives. His theatrical designs have appeared on stages in New York, Munich, London and Paris, as well as in the 1952 film Hans Christian Andersen. His works include sets for opera, theatre, and ballet, most notably for Roland Petit's ballet company, Les Ballets des Champs Elysees (1945-1951) including Los Caprichos (1946) Carmen (1949) and a comic ballet choreographed by Roland Petit called Deuil en 24 Heures.In 1951 he designed La maison de Bernarda Alba (The House of Bernarda Alba) for director Marcel Achard at the Theatre de l'Oeuvre in Paris, and in 1962, a production of The Marriage of Figaro for Maurice Sarrazin at Théatre de la cour de l'Archeveché in Aix-en-Provence. In 1957 Clavé began to design carpets and from 1960 he began to work on sculptural bas reliefs...
Category

1990s Spanish Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

Film Poster The Seekers, Land of Fury Film Offset Plate, 1950s
Located in Antwerp, BE
The Seekers - Land of Fury - Les Démons des Mers du Sud Film Poster - Movie Poster with following cast: Jack Hawkins - Glynis Johns - Noel Purcell - La...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Modern Posters

Materials

Aluminum

Decorative Panel Fancy Bouquet 2 with White Frame, Made in Italy
Located in Treviso, Treviso
VG participates in creating very distinct environments, spaces in which you can escape from reality; to seek refuge whilst expressing your personality; spaces in which you can breath...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Posters

Materials

Wood, Glass

Andy Warhol Kestner-Gesellschaft 1981 Gallery Poster
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A vintage Warhol Kestner-Gesellschaft retrospective German gallery show poster which ran through Oct. 23rd-Dec. 13th 1981. Printed to the lower edg...
Category

Late 20th Century German Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

Decorative Panel Fancy Bouquet 4 with White Frame, Made in Italy
Located in Treviso, Treviso
VG participates in creating very distinct environments, spaces in which you can escape from reality; to seek refuge whilst expressing your personality; spaces in which you can breath...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Posters

Materials

Glass, Wood

Signed 1974 Charles Bragg New Orleans "Important Exhibition" Poster
Located in Pasadena, TX
Signed Charles Bragg Poster, 1974 From an exhibition in New Orleans. Can ship unframed. The poster has no glass but can be added.
Category

1970s North American Vintage Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

20th Century Original Poster by Boris Bucan, Croatian Art, 'Offenbach Musical'
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Artist: Boris Bucan Dimensions: 196 x 206 cm Condition: Excellent Consisting of 6 separate sheets Bucan is an internationally renowned graphic designer from Croati...
Category

Late 20th Century Croatian Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

'White Australia Has A Black History' by Australian Artist Colin Russel, 1987
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
'White Australia Has A Black History' by Australian artist Colin Russel, 1987 Colin Russel is an Australian artist who designed a series of political ...
Category

1980s Oceanic Vintage Modern Posters

Materials

Paper

Lithographic Poster, Dance Exhibition by The Danish Association Of Journalists
Located in Kastrup, DK
Valdemar Andersen 1875-1928 Rare original lithographic poster from 1908 promoting a Dance exhibition sponsored by the Danish Association of Journalists. Decorative original gilded ...
Category

Early 20th Century Danish Modern Posters

Materials

Giltwood, Paper

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Original 1960's Continental Travel Poster
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Located in London, GB
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Original Midcentury Landscape Art Poster Signed by John Michael Eckert
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Previously Available Items
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Located in Los Angeles, CA
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Vintage San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Mark Rothko Color Study Show Poster
By Mark Rothko
Located in west palm beach, FL
A fabulous vintage Boho SF MOMA show poster. A brilliant color study by the genius Mark Rothko. Newly framed and under glass. Acquired from a Palm Beach estate.
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Alexander Calder Galerie Maeght Framed Exhibition Poster, Limited Edition, 1970
Located in San Antonio, TX
Alexander Calder Galerie Maeght framed exhibition poster, limited edition, 1970s, screen printed in France. "Alexander Calder was an American artist best known for his innovative m...
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Razzia, 1994, Original Cohiba Cigar Decorative Vintage Poster
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Original and hand signed Cohiba cigars poster dating from 1994 by Razzia (Gerard Courbouleix Deneriaz; b.1950). This is a hand signed open edition post...
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Mid-Century Modern Life Magazine Poster with Wood Frame, 1962
Located in MIlano, IT
Life magazine poster, 1962 Framed poster of the 1962 cover of Life magazine dedicated to Yves Klein. Good conditions Measurements in cm 68x2x92h.
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Original Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture Framed Exhibition Poster, 1990
Located in South Bend, IN
A beautiful original vintage framed Frank Lloyd Wright USA architecture exhibition poster Recently procured from Frank Lloyd Wright's DeRhodes House USA, 1990 Measures: 12"W x 1"D...
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1990s American Modern Posters

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Joan Miró Lithographic Poster Framed in Lucite Box from Galerie Maeght, 1970s
Located in View Park, CA
Vintage lithographic poster « Sobreteixims » by Joan Miró from GALERIE MAEGHT distributed by Arte Paris, 1973 (from an exhibition dedicated to the artist). Stretched professionally a...
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Mid-Century Modern Robert Motherwell Poster Chicago Exhibit, 1981
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Lithograph of a Robert Motherwell abstract.
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Original 1992 Barcelona Olympic Poster Designed by Antoni Tàpies, XXV Olympiad
Located in London, GB
Antoni Tàpies i Puig, 1st Marquess of Tàpies 13 December 1923 – 6 February 2012) was a Spanish painter, sculptor and art theorist, who became one of the most famous European artists ...
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Original 1992 Barcelona Olympic Poster by Eric Satué for the XXV Olympiad
Located in London, GB
Born in Barcelona in 1938, he studied Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona. He created his first design studio in 1970. Among the works he considers key in his career are the des...
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Vintage Barcelona 1992 Olympic Poster for the XXV Olympiad
Located in London, GB
The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad and commonly known as Barcelona '92, were an international multi-sport event held from 25 July to 9 August...
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Chinese Poster Revolucion Poster Wood Block Art
Located in Chula Vista, CA
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Modern posters for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern posters for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage posters created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include wall decorations, more furniture and collectibles, decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with paper, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern posters made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original posters, popular names associated with this style include OWO Ceramics, Razzia (Gérard Courbouleix–Dénériaz), Georges Mathieu, and Boris Bucan . It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for posters differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $49 and tops out at $19,112 while the average work can sell for $967.

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