Jeanne d’Arc – Eugène Grasset, Sarah Bernhardt, Les Affiches Illustrées, 1896 Original Lithograph on linen
Original 1896 lithograph by Eugène Grasset, published in Paris by Imprimerie Chaix as part of the celebrated series Les Affiches Illustrées. This edition features Grasset’s striking design of Jeanne d’Arc, created for Sarah Bernhardt’s legendary stage portrayal. The image presents the saintly figure with halo, armor, and banner, rendered in Grasset’s signature medieval-inspired decorative style that helped define the French Art Nouveau movement.
Les Affiches Illustrées was issued in limited numbers (1,050 copies), each plate showcasing a poster design by leading artists of the 1890s. Grasset’s Jeanne d’Arc remains one of the highlights of the series for its bold imagery and direct connection to Bernhardt’s celebrated role.
This example is preserved in Excellent “A” condition, professionally mounted on linen.
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Details
Title: Jeanne d’Arc (Sarah Bernhardt) – Les Affiches Illustrées
Artist: Eugène Grasset
Date: 1896
Printer: Imprimerie Chaix, Paris
Size: approx. 12 x 16 in / 31 x 41 cm
Print Type: Color lithograph
Linen: On linen
Condition: Excellent “A”
Eugène Grasset (1845–1917)
Jeanne d’Arc – Sarah Bernhardt, 1899
A richly colored stone lithograph by Eugène Grasset, issued as Plate 174 in Les Maîtres de l’Affiche, the celebrated monthly series published by Jules Chéret at the Imprimerie Chaix in Paris between 1895 and 1900. Subscribers received four plates each month over five years, reproducing the most accomplished poster designs of the Belle Époque in reduced format. The complete series comprised 256 numbered plates created by the foremost artists of the day.
This plate portrays the legendary actress Sarah Bernhardt in her celebrated role as Jeanne d’Arc. Grasset, a major figure of the Art Nouveau movement, combines stylized design with spiritual dignity, expressing both Bernhardt’s theatrical power and the idealized purity of the saint.
Details
Original stone lithograph on wove paper
Printed by Imprimerie Chaix, Paris
From Les Maîtres de l’Affiche, Plate 174 (1899)
Sheet size: approximately 40 × 29 cm / 15.75 × 11.4 in.
Condition: Excellent; vivid impression on full sheet
Comments
An outstanding example from Les Maîtres de l’Affiche, uniting Grasset’s refined Art Nouveau style with the timeless image of Sarah Bernhardt as France’s national heroine.
7 SEpt Cine-Photo 1920’s rare printers poster sampler Early camera biplane and seashore
A small yet striking printer’s sample from around 1920, created to showcase the skill of Ancienne Établissements Gillot in four-color gravure, with final printing by C.L. Courtois. Signed by the renowned illustrator E. Vila, the composition captures two elegantly dressed women on a breezy seashore, one holding an early camera. In the distance, a small vintage automobile and a biplane evoke the modern spirit of the early 20th century.
Adding to its charm is a whimsical touch hidden in the title: the number “7” in Sept contains a caricature of a man holding a camera. The fine halftone detail reflects the photogravure process—used before the dominance of offset printing—known for its tonal richness and precision. A rare and delightful piece that merges advertising, technology, and Art Deco-era elegance.
Ciné Foto Sept – Printer’s Sample
Artist: E. Vila (Émile Vila)
Printer: Anc. Établissements Gillot (gravure), tirage de C. L. Courtois
Size: 8 × 10.5 in / 20.3 × 26.7 cm
On/Off Linen: on linen
Print Technique: Four-color gravure
Year: c. 1920
Condition: Excellent
Sarah Bernhardt – Amsterdam Performances BEGGARSTAFF BROS William Nicholson & James Pryde ORIGINAL 1897
The Sarah Bernhardt poster designed by the Beggarstaff Brothers (William Nicholson and James Pryde) in 1897 is one of the most iconic and rare examples of late 19th-century poster design. Created for Bernhardt’s Amsterdam performances that October, it showcases the Beggarstaffs’ groundbreaking minimalist style—marked by bold silhouettes, flat colors, and graphic restraint that stood in contrast to the ornate Art Nouveau designs of the time. Printed as a stone lithograph, the poster is relatively small in size but highly prized for its historical significance, visual impact, and rarity. It remains a sought-after collector’s item which has sold at auction in NYC for $3500 !
Details
• Title: Sarah Bernhardt – Amsterdam Performances • Artists: Beggarstaff Brothers (William Nicholson & James Pryde) • Date: 1897 • Printing Method: Original stone lithography
• Dimensions: Approx. 10.75″ × 10.25″
• Design: Minimalist silhouette of Bernhardt; bold, graphic aesthetic • Occasion: Created for Bernhardt’s 1897 tour at the Stadsschouwburg in Amsterdam • Notable performances included: La Dame aux Camélias, La Tosca, Phèdre, Fedora • Condition: Excellent (Grade A), untrimmed and unrestored
