Retro posters are actually a kind of style, they are expensive and precious, they are desirable and different. They are a part of somebody's individuality. How did this piece of art entered our life and how this "fruit" is eaten like?
The posters differ by some characteristics. Regarding the decorative design it's possible to broke them down into prints, laminated prints, print with firm base. They used to put the posters into the glass frames. For example, they recommend to print the pictures of great masters or the photos made by famous skillful photographers on canvas and to put into a frame. Photos are decorated by the method of passe-partout (it means that the picture, the frame and the back are tied with strips). However, there is a great variety of the methods how to decorate and frame the posters, everything depends on your personal imagination or of the designer's skill.
Retro posters look great in the wooden hard frames or without any of them at all. However, there were the times when the retro posters were not the subjects of admiration or collecting. And only in 70s of XXth century retro posters occupied hearts and minds of people all over the world. Just imagine that in XIXth century the posters' owners sold them for 25 dollars (the highest price was 800 dollars). Sport, traveling, society and politics were the major themes of such posters. However, the celebrity posters were rated a little bit higher. In spite of this, nobody hunted for them. The real hunt began from careful searching for the famous French painters who created their works during the Belle Epoque (1890-1914), the time when the most important things were invented. That's the time of break in many spheres of life: car and aircrafts building, cinema, photography, medicine, archeology, music, literature, social movements (do not forget this well-known feminism!). Well, that was the time for innovations and imagination blast. And in XXth century there were many people who wanted to own a few vintage posters.
The father of the poster is considered to be Jules Chere who was a graphic artist and a theater decorator. Of course, he was born and lived in Paris. Where else in the world it's possible to find that atmosphere which inspires to create wonderful images? Actually, it was this man who formulated the major principles of the posters art: laconic, color contrast and concentration. This designer created over a thousand of posters for festivals, cafes, clubs, exhibitions and shows. His heroes were smiley and happy, joyful and energetic, they seized people and made them enjoy the every moment of a life. It was a big step into the future of posters.
However, it was not the brightest boom in the poster industry. The very popularity came with Alfons Mucha (from Czech) and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Beginning from that moment the posters were not more just an advertisement of the new show or movie. It became a piece of art! It was the start for arranging the posters' exhibitions in France, then in Great Britain, Italy, Germany, and Russia.
Posters which will be considered retro posters in some years delighted the world. Later, the two main schools began to function in France. The school of Art Nouveau felt close to nature, this source of their imagination, creativity and talent. Fashionable and expensive air went through the works of the masters who belonged to this movement: Mackintosh, Grasses, Bonner, Tussauds and, of course, Mucha. Rapid development of the industry could not develop apart from the art. As a result, another group of painters (Cassander, Hoffman, the Stenbergs brothers) made geometric figures, sharp angles and complex printing types their "visit card".
These personalities stand at the beginning of the retro posters. As it's used to consider nowadays, retro things are those which are at least 20 years old. That's why more and more patters of the vintage posters appear to be sold in the market. It's worthy mentioning the Swiss style which stays to be popular since the dawn of the last century. The main features are black and white manner and direct lines. In the middle of the last century American show-business threw into the world such "sharks" of the poster style as Glacier, Meggs, and Warhol.
Well, there are many species anyone may choose from: small or big posters, colorful or black and white, simple or complex.
Retro posters suit the public places decoration perfectly. These languorous beauties with fans in their gloved hands, passionate gypsy women and tremendously wonderful dancers would beautify any retro cafe or restaurant in order to bring the feeling of something special into a boring life style.
And if you thinking about decorating your house or garage, online poster shops can offer you a range of items to choose some that will match your interior, for example, Lady Gaga posters, Bob Dylan posters, Hilary Duff posters and many other celebrity posters. Choose Lady Gaga poster, if you are attracted by her music, appearance and performance. As an alternative you can choose animal posters, nature posters, car posters and some others. |