Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec guru of the modern poster?

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec - an exaggerated contribution to the modern poster?
In 1896 poster art was in its extreme early stages of development and the master of this form was Jules Cheret. He began drawing his pictures directly on to the lithographic stone right after the mechanical presses were invented. This is the first time in history that these images could be produced so abundantly and cheaply that Cheret’s posters populated streets corners of Paris like our Starbucks in every conceivable spot.

For Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec the timing of this lithographic marvel couldn’t have been more perfect. Henry’s reasons for preferring to use the medium of the poster go back to his family’s disregard for his chosen profession. Given the habit he inherited from his father to show off, what better to attract the attention of the public’s eye? The poster was that perfect–in your face medium–that accomplished these goals.

The initial master of lithographs was Jules Cheret. History books have often overlooked his contribution to the development of the early lithographic poster. Oddly enough, Cheret had been given the first commission for the Moulin Rouge when it opened in 1889, but his pretty approach with circus riders on donkeys (previous page) was not a successful brand for the nightclub–somewhat invested in the acceptable debauchery at the time. While Henry has gone on record as an admirer of Cheret’s efforts, only a few months later it was Cheret who would proclaim, “Lautrec is a master!”

Graphic design art historian Phillip Meggs raised an important question on how we might have overlooked Lautec’s contemporaries and their contributions in his article Toulouse Latrec: Superb but Not Alone. He asks the question- ”Was Henri Toulouse-Lautrec the guru of the modern poster as some art history books would have us believe? Or was he the quick sketch artist storming into the print shop with a hangover and using his brilliant gifts as a draftsman to bang out posters?” - AIGA Journal of Graphic Design Vol.4, No. 2, 1986

Herb Lubalin-A Look Back at a Master

In our quest for forgotten movements, heroes, and styles of the past, retro art club continues its series of the forgotten pioneers of design.

One of the heavy hitters of the Design History Hall of Fame–Herb Lubalin.

The American designer and photographer Herb Lubalin was born in New York City in 1918 and he would become a prominent force during the 70's in graphic design.

He entered the prestigious Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and Science in 1935. His left-handedness was always a factor in his inability to draw recognizable figures, but it was his calligraphy classes at Cooper Union that fed his passion for typography.

When Lubalin graduated in 1939, his first job was a display artist, which ended when he was fired asking for a raise. He joined the firm Sudler & Hennessey and began working on pharmaceutical ads and advertising promotion.

Pharmaceutical advertising is probably the most creative advertising done during those days and the “breakup cough” ad illustrates Herb’s distinct style and love of combining words and image. Lubalin broke a lot of barriers in terms of making copy ads and more visual than copy-driven.

In 1965 Lubalin created one of the most eloquent of what are called “typograms”- the mother and child logo. Oddly enough, this logo was for a magazine that was never published; yet it is one of his most beautiful designs. Herb loved to fill his letterforms with images. Putting the words and “& child” in the middle of the O becomes the perfect suggestive solution as the “&” becomes the shape of the child within a mothers womb. That really says it all about Lubalin’s work—his words were pictures at his pictures were words.