Motocycles Comiot poster – Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen – Le Maîtres de l’Affiche Plate 190

Motocycles Comiot poster – Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen – Le Maîtres de l’Affiche Plate 190 Comiot Cycles was a pioneer bicycle manufacturer in the late 1890s. At the turn of the century the company also began to manufacture motorcycles and a little later on turned its attention to automobiles. In 1899 the company was producing its new motorcycle. It was a motorised tricycle, fitted with a De Dion engine. To advertise the new product they employed the skills of the French artist Theophile Alexandre Steinlen. Motocycles Comiot poster – Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen With the exception of his famous Le Chat Noir poster, this Art Nouveau Motorcycles Comiot poster is probably the best known of all Théophile Alexandre Steinlen’s poster designs, and there’s been a few. In total, Steinlen is believed to have created 382 original lithographs and 115 etchings. The Comiot Motorcycles print was created in 1899 by Steinen, a renowned Swiss-born French artist and printmaker. Steinlen became one of the foremost poster artists in Paris at the turn of the century and with poster illustrations like this one, it is easy to see why. The poster was created to advertise Comiot’s new three-wheeled motorcycle. However, Steinlen has only really shown the handlebar and front forks of the vehicle. The rest of the machine can barely be seen because of the geese and the woman’s long dress. Instead of featuring details about the motorcycle, Steinlen has chosen an aspirational approach to sell the bike. He has injected an element of humour into the poster’s chaotic scene. The poster’s image depicts a well-to-do, fashionably dressed young lady out for a ride in the French countryside. In typical Steinlen style, the woman is depicted wearing red and black. On her journey, the woman rides headlong into a gaggle of geese on the road. Unlike the startled geese that scatter noisily, the woman appears calm and relaxed, maintaining her elegance. The noise of the cackling geese seems to have broken the silence of the quiet country road and the commotion and has drawn the attention of a couple of local farm hands working in the fields behind. It’s quite easy to imagine that, at the time this poster was produced, the sight of a motorised cycle in the country would be rare. Motorcycles were only introduced towards the end of the 19th century. Original stone lithographic prints of this fabulous poster are rarely seen at auction. They also command huge prices when they do. Back in 2007, an original poster was put into auction with an estimated guide price of between $20,000 and $30,000. The stunning, highly collectible poster realised a hammer price of almost $41, 000. Théophile Alexandre Steinlen Steinlen, was a Swiss-born French Art Nouveau painter and printmaker during La Belle Epoque era, a golden period in French history. The artist played an important role in the development of Art Nouveau. He is best known for his posters and illustrations, which often featured bold, decorative patterns. His work was heavily influenced by Japanese woodblock prints, and he is credited as one of the artists that helped to popularise this style in the West. Steinlen also had a strong interest in cats, and his poster for the Le Chat Noir cabaret is one of his most famous images. Jules Cheret considered Steinlen’s superb Motocycles Comiot poster of high enough quality to include it as plate 190 in his Maitres de l’affiche series. Le Maîtres de l’Affiche Plate 190 This plate is from the Maitres de l’Affiche (Masters of the Poster) collection. It is one of 256 color lithographic plates delivered to monthly subscribers in sets of four beginning in 1895 and continuing through 1900. The collection was reproduced from the original posters of ninety-seven artists in a smaller 15 3/4 x 11 3/8 inch (40 x 29 cm) format. The individual plates were issued as separate numbered sheets, with the printer’s name, “Imprimerie Chaix,” in the margin at the bottom left-hand corner. Other Theophile Steinlen posters Some of his most famous works are his 1894 A La Bodiniere print, his 1895 Compagnie Francaise des Chocolats et des Thes lithograph and his poster for Motocycles Comiot created in 1899. Other notable works include his poster for Nestlés Milk, his famous Cocorico poster and his huge cats and dogs poster for the veterinary surgery, Clinique Chéron in 1905. However, by far his most famous work is his Tournée du Chat Noir lithograph for the Belle Epoque French Nightclub. Today, many of Steinlen’s posters are considered to be important works of art and are highly sought after.