1890-1920: The Invention of the Poster

The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked a transformative period in art and design, especially in the evolution of poster art. This era saw the rise of the Belle époque in France, a time of cultural flourishing, where posters became a powerful form of expression. The Art Nouveau movement emerged as a major force, embracing intricate, organic designs inspired by nature and diverse artistic influences. As poster art spread across Europe and America, it reflected each society's cultural essence and began to develop distinct national styles. By the early 1900s, however, Art Nouveau's popularity waned, giving way to a new direction led by modernist approaches and simplified visual forms. This shift laid the foundation for early modernism and ultimately transformed poster art into a cornerstone of advertising.

In 1891, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s debut poster, Moulin Rouge, helped elevate poster art to new heights and set off a fervent craze for posters. The 1890s, also known as the Belle époque in France, saw a blossoming of poster exhibitions, magazines, and shops dedicated to this new form of art. Parisian dealer Sagot even cataloged over 2,200 posters, highlighting the medium’s popularity.

Just a few years later, Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, working in Paris, introduced a landmark in Art Nouveau poster design. Drawing on inspirations like the Pre-Raphaelites, the Arts and Crafts Movement, and Byzantine art, this ornate and flourishing style became an internationally dominant decorative movement until World War I.

In different countries, posters began to reflect each culture's unique symbols. France's posters celebrated cafes and cabarets; Italy’s, the opera and fashion; Spain’s, bullfights and festivals; Germany’s, trade fairs and publications; and Britain and America’s, literary journals, bicycles, and the circus.

While different cultures influenced one another, national styles still emerged. Dutch posters, for instance, were known for their orderliness; Italian ones for their bold drama and scale; and German designs for their straightforwardness and medieval undertones.

By 1900, the novelty of Art Nouveau had waned due to widespread imitation. Toulouse-Lautrec’s death in 1901 and the departure of artists like Mucha and Jules Chéret, who moved on to painting, left room for fresh voices in poster art. Italian caricaturist Leonetto Cappiello, who arrived in Paris in 1898, stepped into this void.

Influenced by artists like Chéret and Toulouse-Lautrec, Cappiello moved away from the intricate details of Art Nouveau and toward bold, singular images—often humorous or surreal—that could instantly captivate viewers on busy streets. His approach laid the groundwork for modern advertising by using imagery to establish brand identity. Cappiello's style would remain influential in Paris until Cassandre introduced his first Art Deco poster in 1923.

Meanwhile, artists from movements like Scotland’s Glasgow School, Austria’s Vienna Secession, and Germany’s Deutscher Werkbund began reshaping Art Nouveau’s organic forms. They shifted toward rectilinear and geometric designs rooted in functionalism, which eventually inspired the German Plakatstil, or Poster Style. Pioneered by Lucian Bernhard in Berlin in 1905 and Ludwig Hohlwein in Munich, this style minimized naturalism, favoring flat colors and shapes, and moved poster art toward a modern, abstract visual language.

The period from the 1890s through the early 1900s was a time of dynamic change and creative exploration in the world of posters and graphic art. As the Belle époque celebrated the ornate beauty of Art Nouveau, a growing push toward simplification and modernism began to redefine poster art’s potential as both a decorative medium and an advertising tool. This shift opened the doors to new artistic movements that emphasized functional design and abstraction, setting the stage for the impactful styles that would define the art world through the 20th century.

Associated Artists: Jules Cheret; John Heartfield; Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec; Herber Matter

References and More Information: Wikipedia, A Century of Posters at Amazon