They expect the impossible (1897)

Dated 1897, "They expect the impossible" is an artwork by John Samuel Pughe. Context for 1897: The later nineteenth century is the era of Impressionism, whose first group exhibition was held in Paris in 1874, followed by Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, and the Arts and Crafts movement. In the 1890s, colour lithography and Art Nouveau made the illustrated poster a celebrated art form. It is listed in the Illustration collection. The image is in landscape orientation. 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. Printing methods such as woodcut, engraving, lithography, and photomechanical reproduction each shaped how illustrators worked.

"They expect the impossible" 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. Measuring the wall before choosing a size is the simplest way to avoid a print that feels too small or too large. 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. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour.

American, 1870–1909

If you like the visual language of John Samuel Pughe, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.