Description
Famous poster for the Century Magazine by Maxfield Parrish, from Les Maitres de l’Affiche.
The Century Magazine was an illustrated monthly magazine first published in the United States in 1881 by The Century Company of New York City, which had been bought in that year by Roswell Smith and renamed by him after the Century Association.
“Maxfield Parrish, whom we must always thank for producing one of the most thoroughly charming of American posters ‘Century, Midsummer’, is ever original, bizarre, and rich in conception. One of his many characteristics is a love of detail, with a quaintly elaborate technique. He revels in intricate plays of light, shade and shadow, and in the production of even textures with occasional gently graded tones”(C. Matlock Price p.146)
This poster is from the series, Les Maitres de l’Affiche (The Masters of the Poster ) which took five years to produce from 1895 to1900.
It is one of the most prestigious and influential art publications in history. This series features the most outstanding posters of the late 19th century when the medium was only used for commercial advertising. During the 19th century the poster celebrated its golden era under the hands of famous artist such as, Cheret, Toulouse Lautrec, Mucha and Steinlen. They elevated the poster from a commercial medium to innovative art form. By the 1890s, the streets of every great metropolis were enlivened by large, colourful posters. The poster had not only caught the eye of the public, but it’s best examples were already being regarded as works of art, to be exhibited, reviewed in journals and collected.
In 1895, the Imprimerie Chaix firm published reduced chromolithographic versions of over 200 the best posters of the period by more than 90 great artists. This Chaix publication Les Maitres de l’Affiche, was issued as separate numbered lithographs, every month for 60 months from 1895 to 1900. Of the 97 artists represented all were prominent artists of the day. The lithograph was issued with an embossed seal at the lower right further signifying its authenticity.
From Chaix, Les Maîtres de l’Affiche. Paris
References:
Rennert, J. Master of the Posters 1896 – 1900. New York 1977 VIII, 1.
Dover publications, The Complete “Masters of the Poster. 2016 poster 11.
