With a focus on original lithographic exhibition, circus and travel posters, the latest art auction from Theodore Bruce Auctioneers is ideal for new buyers looking to opt into the market, and collectors of works on paper. There are 237 lots on offer, including a large selection of original 19th century French lithographic posters from Jules Cheret, the ‘father of the modern poster’. Above, Ernest-Louis Lessieux, France (1848-1925), Chemins de Fers de L'Est, Venise via Lotschberg ou St Gothard, Original Poster, Colour lithograph pub. Harchard & Cie, Paris, estimated at A$600-800
Artists began to embrace the lithographic poster in France in the mid 1800’s, largely thanks to Jules Cheret, ‘the father of the modern poster’. Cheret established a lithography workshop in Paris in 1866. He refined the “3 stone lithographic process” that enabled the use of vibrant colours, and paired his images with eye-catching text, helping to elevate typography as an artform. There are 30 Cheret posters here promoting French theatre, opera and events including the 1889 Universal Exhibition in Paris - Les Pays des Fées, Jardin Enchanté 1889, Les Maitres de l'Affiche Pl 181 (Lot 6511).
Among other 19th and early 20th century works, there is a stunning large-scale travel poster of Venice from Ernest-Louis Lessieux - Chemins de Fers de L'Est, Venise via Lotschberg ou St Gothard (Lot 6580), and an image of a soldier above the village of St Mihiel from French military artist Maurice Toussaint. A copy of Toussaint’s St Mihiel (Lot 6581) also sits within the Library of Congress in Washington.
L'Estampe Moderne was a French serial published between 1897 and 1899 to showcase original lithographs, many from Art Nouveau artists. The auction features a Premier Edition of L’Estampe Moderne (Lot 6564) with 19 of 50 plates still intact, as well as a number of separate lithographs from the serial. These include the richly detailed Passant (Lot 6553) from German artist, Robert Engels and L'Heure du Silence 1897 (Lot 6501) from Henri-Georges Meunier.
There is an eclectic collection beyond the early French lithographs, including a classic Warhol image of Marilyn Monroe for the exhibition, Warhol, The Tate Gallery, London, Feb-Mar 1971 (Lot 6606) as well as exhibition posters for artists including Francis Bacon, Raoul Dufy, Robert Owen, George Gittoes and Jean Dubuffet. Other standouts include an etching by Australian Indigenous artist, Johnny Mawurndjul titled Mardayin at Milmilngkan (Lot 6716), and a series of images from French painter and publisher, Edouard Benedictus from his 1924 publication, Nouvelles Variations par Benedictus (Lot 6566).
