The exhibition, The Illustrated Poster in the Belle Époque, presented at Le Signe, France's national center for graphic design in autumn 2017, presented more than 150 posters and graphic objects, produced between 1873 and 1900, by Jules Cheret, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Eugène Grasset, Alfred Choubrac, Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen, Adolphe Willette, Félix Vallotton, Pal (Jean de Paléologue), Jules-Alexandre Grün, Pierre Bonnard, Lucien Metivet and many others.

The works were drawn from the collection of Gustave Dutailly, a botanist and parliamentarian of the late 19th century, whose commitment and passion for posters led him to donate a collection of nearly 5,000 examples from the "golden age of French posters" to the town of Chaumont. 

This collection, of inestimable heritage value, is emblematic of the excellence of French design between 1880 and 1900. Great collectors are artists in their own way, and this collection can rightly be considered a work of art, now featured in a handsome catalog that seeks to highlight the collection's riches while revealing the singularities that make the collection unique.

Author Nicholas-Henri Zmelty, lecturer in contemporary art history at the Université de Picardie Jules Verne (Amiens, France), offers a new perspective on the Dutailly collection, exploring its six themes, through which a portrait of the collector emerges. Works included feature hand lettering, layouts, and graphic strategies of interest to contemporary graphic designers and typography enthusiasts.

Designed by Ludovic Balland 

Published by Le Signe, 2017
In French

Hardcover (board), 210 pages, full color, 7.25 × 11.75 inches

ISBN: 979-1-09-738903-1