Maîtres de l'Affiche (Masters of the Poster) refers to 256 color lithographic plates created during the Belle Époque in Paris, France. The collection, reproduced from the original works of ninety-seven artists in a smaller 11 x 15 inch format, was put together by Jules Chéret, the father of poster art and distributed between 1895 – 1900. The varied selection of prints were sold in packages of four and delivered monthly to subscribers. Designed for a subscription audience it showcased the most influential posters of the era in a collectible small format.

This image was created by the artists Sir William Nicholson (1872-1949) and James Pryde (1866-1941) working under the name Beggerstaff Brothers (Beggarstaffs). The poster is promoting the cocoa product of Rowntree’s, an importer. The artists use a striking minimalist design to convey a sense of luxury and prestige while not really showing the product itself. This was a highly regarded image at its time of issue.

This is an original vintage print, not a reproduction. The poster is on heavyweight paper and is in good condition; excellent color and detail; paper is light-stained, somewhat brittle, with a minor bottom edge stain, minor paper chip upper left corner, and minor tape stains on verso.