1896 LES MAITRES DE L'AFFICHE - Harper's, March.

Chromo lithographed poster of Les Maîtres de l'Affiche being plate n°20.

The "Les Maîtres de l'Affiche" contained 256 small for lithographic prints of the best posters of the Belle Époque and was offered as a subscription series to collectors, from December 1895 through November 1900, subscribers received by mail monthly 4 loose sheets (Maître) with a cover sheet. Maître's were never issued in a book form.

A very high quality of paper was used, were as the large format posters were usually printed on lesser quality newsprint, due to cost and a short expected life span.
The quality of the printing, in the "Maîtres de l'Affiche," usually far exceeds that of their larger counterparts and was offered for sale at the price of an original poster.

Read more about "Les Maîtres de L'Affiche".

Les Maitres de l'Affiche

At the turn of the 19th into the 20th century, Paris's outdoor and indoor walls bloomed with posters that drew their themes from the passing show of 'La Vie Parisienne.' Advertising never knew happier days. The poster not only caught the fancy of the broad public, but its best examples were already regarded as works of art (specifically, fine prints) to be exhibited, reviewed in journals, collected, and reprinted in a manageable form.
In the last five years of the century, the Imprimerie Chaix played a major role in codifying, hallowing, and perpetuating the ebullient period of 'La Belle Epoque.' It was in those years that the firm published "Les Maitres de l'Affiche" (Masters of the Poster) reduced lithographic versions, in authentic colors, of the best posters of Europe and America, by more than 90 great artists, posters that bring the period to life." (Appelbaum p.iii)

Alain Weill, an authority in the field of poster history, points out that posters in this series had major appeal, in part, due to their manageable size: "At the time posters posed a problem which, moreover, has still not been solved, of how to keep, preserve and enjoy a collection consisting of very large size posters which one has to preserve rolled or flat in some large cabinet...("Les Maitres de l'Affiche") provided a reduction of the most valued and the most widely known posters." (Masters p. 4)

The Publication
The "Les Maîtres de l'Affiche" series was offered to collectors as a subscription.
For 60 months, from December 1895 through November 1900, subscribers received 4 loose sheets (Maîtres) by mail, plus a cover sheet. It was sold in Paris for 2.50 francs for a one-month subscription (4 Maitres) and for 27 francs for 12 months (48 Maitres), plus special (bonus) plates (see Special plates). Maîtres were never issued in book form, but subscribers received a binding of the 12 months' Maîtres at the end of the year, with a beautiful hardcover design by Paul Berthon, for 8 Francs.

The "Maîtres de l'Affiche" were issued as separate numbered sheets, called "plates" (PL). They were numbered, with the printer's name, "Imprimerie Chaix," in the bottom-left margin, "PL.1" to "PL.240." Each has a blind-embossed stamp of Cheret's design in the bottom-right margin. Each overall plate measures approximately 11 3/8 in. x 15 3/4 in. (29cm x 40cm).

The smaller format, and the fact that the "Maitres" were a paid subscription series, allowed Imprimerie Chaix to use the latest state-of-the-art printing techniques, which are not normally used for large-format posters because of cost.

Very high-quality paper was used, whereas the large format posters were usually printed on lesser quality newsprint, due to cost and a short expected lifespan. This explains why the printing quality in the "Maîtres de l'Affiche" usually far exceeds that of their larger counterparts.
Each print bears the publisher's blind-embossed stamp in the bottom-right margin.

Alain Weill notes that a month's offerings (four Maîtres) could be had at the same price as an original poster by Toulouse-Lautrec, Mucha or the other greats of the poster era, being sold through print dealers at the time: "This is not at all surprising since the larger posters were printed in quantity on ordinary paper and, to boot, the one-time art and plate costs were assumed by the company whose product it advertised; the dealers paid printers only for the overrun they wished to acquire.
Hence, we must consider it normal that "Les Maîtres de l'Affiche," specially produced by means of lithography on quality paper, was offered for sale at the price of an original poster.

People did not see these two types of products as competing. They were infatuated with small prints and with this kind of compilation.