Centennial of Lithography (1895)

This page presents "Centennial of Lithography" (1895), created by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. It is listed in the Vintage Posters collection. The image is in portrait orientation. Vintage Posters, a short history: Colour lithography in the 1890s turned the illustrated poster into a major art form, and cities such as Paris and Prague became centres of poster design. Posters announced theatre, travel, products, and events, combining image and lettering to be read at a glance from the street. Historical background, 1895: Japanese prints reached Europe in large numbers and influenced many artists, while photography changed what painting needed to do. In the 1890s, colour lithography and Art Nouveau made the illustrated poster a celebrated art form.

Buying "Centennial of Lithography" means getting a digital file, not a physical print: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI, delivered by email once payment is confirmed. A 300 DPI file is intended for printing at home or at a local print shop, where you can choose a matte, satin, or fine-art paper to suit the room. A portrait format suits narrow wall spaces, hallways, and the area beside a door or window. Vintage posters bring character, graphic texture, and a collected feel to the room, while pairing easily with both contemporary furniture and eclectic styling. A simple frame with a mat often helps an image settle comfortably into a room. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks.

French, 1824–1898

If you like the visual language of Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.