A century of posters

Bringing together over 400 colour reproductions, A Century of Posters represents a pictorial record of the development of poster art and graphic design during the years 1880 to 1980. In addition to their artistic merit, posters can be powerful expressions of by-gone eras that help narrate historical change. In the time before mass media, posters were a prime means of communication, protest and propaganda. A Century of Posters captures that historical phenomenon from its Art Nouveau roots, through La Belle Epoque to propagandist posters of the First World War, the Russian Revolution of 1917, 1960s American poster art and Japanese design. Selected by Martijn F. Le Coultre from his own private collection, the posters are supported by a fascinating introduction by Alston W. Purvis, Director of the Visual Arts Division at Boston University, which examines the history of poster design in the international arena.