'Stop thief!' (1884)

This page presents "'Stop thief!'" (1884), created by Bernhard Gillam. Historical background, 1884: 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. Background on Illustration: Illustration serves a text or a story, a tradition that runs from decorated medieval manuscripts to printed book plates, magazines, and posters. The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are often described as a golden age of book and magazine illustration. It is listed in the Illustration collection. The image is in landscape orientation.

"'Stop thief!'" is offered as a printable file (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI) rather than a shipped item. You receive the files by email after payment and handle printing yourself, which gives you full control over paper, size, and finish. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Illustrative graphics are valued for their decorative line work and narrative quality, which makes them a strong fit for gallery walls, kids rooms, studies, and more intimate interiors. Measuring the wall before choosing a size is the simplest way to avoid a print that feels too small or too large. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing.

American, 1856–1896

If you like the visual language of Bernhard Gillam, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.