Date: 1928
Size: 14.5 x 22 inches
Artist: Jean Carlu
About the poster: Speaking about his renowned poster of the comedienne Pépà Bonafé, Carlu recalled: “Her agent approached me to design a poster, but unlike Loupot, I wasn’t a natural when it came to portraying women. I felt uneasy about it. Still, by stylizing her profile, I quickly captured her likeness. Pépà Bonafé wasn’t at her most glamorous, but she recognized that the poster would serve as great publicity once it was up on the walls. I blended curves with straight lines to merge the mask of joy with the mask of sorrow.” One of Carlu’s most celebrated posters. (www.manhattanrarebooks.com)
About the artist: Jean Carlu was born in 1900 in Bonnières-sur-Seine, France, and lived to the age of 97. Coming from a family of architects, he initially planned to pursue a career in architecture. However, at the age of 18, he was involved in a car accident that resulted in the loss of his arm. This life-altering event led him to shift his focus from architecture to graphic design.
Despite the challenge of having only one hand, Carlu began his design career in 1919. He spent two years working as an illustrator at an advertising agency, and his first poster design was for the original Charlie Chaplin film Le Gosse (The Kid). (www.aljoheri.com)
The poster is linen backed and in great condition. Ready to frame !