Feb 20 at 10:30 AM - Sale 2695 -

Sale 2695 - Lot 49

Estimate: $ 800 - $ 1,200

PIERRE PUVIS DE CHAVANNE (1824-1898)

GALERIE RAPP / CENTENAIRE DE LA LITHOGRAPHIE. 1895.

58½x40½ inches, 148½x102¾ cm. Lemercier, Paris.
Condition B+: replaced losses and overpainting at edges; repaired tears at edges, some into text and image; restoration along horizontal fold; slight darkening at edges.

In 1895, a large exhibition was organized to celebrate the 100th anniversary of lithography at the Galerie Rapp on the Champs de Mars. Four different artists were commissioned to design posters for the event. Two of the artists were poster artists, Hugo D'Alèsi and Pal (who also designed the cover of the catalogue) and the other two artists were Maurou and Puvis de Chavannes who, at the time, was president of the Société des Beaux-Arts. Puvis de Chavannes was a classical, influential artist although at times he can be very hard to classify. At the beginning of his career his work was close to that of the Impressionists, but then became strongly influenced by the Italian Primitivist frescos from which his own, personal style emerged. For part of his career he specialized in gigantic murals for municipal buildings (including the Panthéon and the Paris City Hall) and Both Degas and the Nabis considered him to be a major influence on their work. For all these reasons this poster is a curiosity as well as a document, it is a classical allegory in pastel tones that has all the qualities of an oversized cabinet print.

L'Affichomanie 23, Gold 182, Belle Epoque 283.
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