The Century – Les Maîtres de l’Affiche – Maxfield Parrish

Original plate The Century by Maxfield Parrish, published as part of the Les Maîtres de l’Affiche series. This important project ran from 1895 to 1899 and reproduced, in reduced format, the best poster designs of the period. Subscribers received four plates each month, printed by the Imprimerie Chaix in Paris under the direction of Jules Chéret, the “father of the modern poster.”

Maxfield Parrish (1870–1966) was an American painter and illustrator whose career spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known for his brilliant colors, idealized imagery, and graphic clarity, Parrish was a major figure in American illustration and design. His inclusion in Les Maîtres de l’Affiche reflected the international reach of the poster movement of the Belle Époque.

Chaix, the Paris printer, was at the center of poster production in the 1890s. Under Chéret’s artistic leadership, the firm pioneered high-quality color lithography and published both the original large posters and the Les Maîtres de l’Affiche plates, which remain highly collectible today.

This plate is printed on fine wove paper, measures 12 × 16 in. (30.5 × 40.6 cm), and has been professionally mounted on linen. It is preserved in excellent “A” condition.

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Artist: Maxfield Parrish
Printer: Imprimerie Chaix, Paris
Date: 1895–1899 (Les Maîtres de l’Affiche series)
Size: 12 × 16 in. (30.5 × 40.6 cm)
Print Type: Stone Lithograph
On Linen: Yes
Condition: Excellent “A”