The online Artist Posters consist of a small but growing proportion of the more than 85,000 posters in the Artist Poster filing series. This series highlights the work of poster artists, both identified and anonymous. It includes posters from the nineteenth century to the present day from the United States and other countries.

Background and Scope

The online Artist Posters consist of a small but growing proportion of the more than 85,000 posters in the Artist Poster filing series. This series highlights the work of poster artists, both identified and anonymous. It includes posters from the nineteenth century to the present day. The series includes many fine examples from such graphic design styles as:

• Art Nouveau [selected examples]
• Russian Constructivism [selected examples]
• Art Deco [selected examples]
• Bauhaus [selected example]
• International Typographic Style [selected example]
• Psychedelic [selected examples].

While the majority of the posters were produced in the United States, other countries are also represented, with Polish holdings and those from western European countries being especially strong. The posters came to the Library as copyright deposits, gifts, transfers, purchases, and exchanges.

There are many fine examples from the art poster heyday of the 1890's by such well-known artists as:

• Jules Cheret [examples]
• Leonetto Cappiello [examples]
• Alphonse Mucha [examples]
• Will Bradley [examples]
• Edward Penfield [examples]
• A.M. Cassandre
• Edward McKnight Kauffer [examples]
• Lester Beall [examples]

The portion of the series that appears online includes a wide variety of subjects such as:

• travel and tourism
• advertising
• cultural events (exhibitions, festivals, concerts)
• sports.