Les Affiches Illustrées: Art Posters from the Late 1800s

Les Affiches Illustrées: Art Posters from the Late 1800s

April 17–April 21, 2007
Click here to see pictures from the 2007 Burlesque Ball. You can also order prints or download hi-res versions of each image.

Five days only!
Special Gallery Hours:
Wednesday 12-5pm
Thursday 12-7pm
Friday 12-3pm
Saturday 12-5pm
During the Art Nouveau period, which originated in Paris and spanned from about 1870 to 1915, posters became the dominant means of advertising in the rapidly growing cities of Europe and America. Advances in lithographic printing enabled artists to achieve brilliant colors and combine word and image in an attractive and economical format; the art poster, l’affiche illustrée, was born. This exhibition highlights a tremendous collection of original posters by artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Alphonse Maria Mucha, Théophile Steinlen, Pierre Bonnard, Jules Chéret, and many others. In addition to offering a window into European cultural life during the late 1800s, these posters, which ushered in the modern age of advertising, demonstrate the aesthetic vitality of the Art Nouveau period. There is a suggested donation of $5 for this special exhibition to benefit our Firehouse Education Program.
Location: Firehouse Gallery