Posters of yesteryear have survived against the odds. Created to advertise specific events, posters thus came with a built-in expiration date. But planned obsolescence occasionally gives way to unplanned collectability and one man’s ephemera is another man’s objet d’art.
The posters of Jules Chéret (1836-1932) have long outlived their initial function and although the concerts, plays and aperitifs he advertised belong to the past, the vibrant imagery of “the father of the modern poster” continues to resonate in the present.
Earlier this year, the Milwaukee Art Museum received a gift of more than 500 Chéret posters from local collectors Susee and James Wiechmann. “Designing Paris: The Posters of Jules Chéret” presents a selection of Chéret’s works, transporting viewers back to Paris during la Belle Époque.
The exhibition is on view Dec. 15 through April 29, 2018.
