PAL (JEAN DE PALÉOLOGUE, 1860-1942)

[EXPOSITION DU CENTENAIRE DE LA LITHOGRAPHIE]. 1895.

56x42 inches, 142¼x106¾ cm. Imp. Paul Dupont, Paris.
Condition B+: repaired tears at edges, some into image; minor losses at edges, abrasions along vertical and horizontal folds.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Alois Senefelder's art form, a big exhibition was organized at the Gallery Rapp near the Eiffel Tower. Four posters were commissioned, each representing a different aspect of lithographic art. Puvis de Chavannes, the president of the influential Societe des Beaux-Arts was one of the artists chosen, as was Maurou, a printmaker. The other two posters were designed by poster artists, thus demonstrating the importance of poster art in the history of lithography. Hugo d'Alèsi chose to represent an elegant lady at a second-hand bookseller along the Seine (she is admiring a lithograph and a poster by Chéret). Pal took an approach more in keeping with his recognized style. As usual, he depicts one of his scantily clad and fetching models. However, if in his more commercial posters his young ladies appear exceptionally provocative, this one is placed in a creative posture - seated in front of a lithographic stone on an easel with a lithographic pencil in one hand. This is the version before text. DFP-II 683 (var), L'Affichomanie no. 25 (var).