“Saxoléine Pétrole de Sureté” By Jules Chéret c.1896 Lithographic Print From The “Les Maitres de l’Affiche” Series

Plate No.13, lithographed and printed by Chaix (showing their blind-stamped-stamp at lower right) using Lorilleux ink. It shows the Maitres de l’Affiche imprint at lower left.

Les Maitres de l’Affiche (The Masters of the Poster) was a series of 256 colour lithographic plates used to create an art publication during the final years of the 19th Century in Paris. Each was a reduced version of the original work and the collection was put together by Jules Chéret, the father of poster art and also the designer of the poster here. The prints were distributed in batches of four per month to subscribers between December 1895 and November 1900, and the monthly packages usually had a bonus print included. A complete set (if you can find one) would cost about £50,000 today. 

Overall size approx. 288x393mm., some discolouration caused by light absorption from an old frame, heavy horizontal crease at the foot of the lower border which has a 7mm split at the right edge.