Always New

Always New: The Posters of Jules Chéret highlights ​the role that French artist Jules Chéret (1836–1932) played in transforming the ​illustrated poster into a form of ephemeral art that embraced the public’s interest in novelty and rapid change during the 19th century. Recognized as the father of the poster, Chéret was ​one of the first artist​s to bring colorful, large-scale advertisements to the streets of Paris. ​People strolling down the boulevards were captivated not only by Chéret’s vibrant images, but also by how frequently new designs appeared. Chéret’s printmaking innovations allowed him to produce astonishing numbers of posters rapidly and inexpensively enough to publicize the latest pleasures the city had to offer. Drawing from the largest collection of Chéret posters in the ​United States, the book features ​over 100 works that span the artist’s career and includes both his most celebrated and lesser-known images. Always New brings Chéret into focus as a master of his medium, an artist who celebrated the ephemeral nature of posters and shaped the way they were created and experienced.