Reviews

Sheer delight for art lovers and Francophiles, this array of 220 French posters simultaneously traces the flowering of pictorial advertising art and delineates the mores of belle epoque Paris. The posters, from the collection of Marvin Shanken, publisher of the Wine Spectator, deal not only with wines and liquors, but also with changing fashions, the battle between the sexes, class aspirations, and leisure activities from cycling to tennis. Standouts include Toulouse-Lautrec's wry observations of the passing scene; Alphonse Mucha's art-nouveau visions; Jules Cheret's bright, airy show-biz promotions; and works by Pierre Bonnard, Leonetto Cappiello and cat-lover Theophile Steinlen, whose surreal flights of fancy paved the way for modern advertising. Rennert, president of the distributor firm Posters Please, and author of books on Mucha and Tomi Ungerer, tells the story behind each poster. (Oct.)

Poster dealer Rennert has selected these designs from the extensive collection of Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of The Wine Spectator . What makes the book more than just another lavish sampler of posters is its narrow focus on the years 1890-1914 and the inclusion of rare specimens. In addition to well-known examples by Cheret and Mucha, Rennert includes works by Clair Masson, Jane Atche, and other less-familiar artists, paying particular attention to posters advertising beverages. His commentary, while not scholarly, is informative and lively. The book should appeal to a wide range of readers.-- Douglas G. Campbell, George Fox Coll., Newberg, Ore.