Fumar El Papel Job O Dejar De Fumar 1895

Jules Chéret made this poster to advertise JOB cigarette papers, using lithography, a printmaking process based on the simple principle that oil and water don't mix. Lithography allowed Chéret to create posters on a mass scale. The design is drawn on a flat stone or metal plate with a greasy substance, then treated with acid. When the surface is inked, the ink adheres only to the greasy areas, which are then transferred to paper. Chéret and his contemporaries revolutionized advertising using this technique. The image, with its bold lettering and vibrant colors, practically leaps off the page, capturing your attention and imagination. The colors are flat, meaning there are no gradations of tone and, because of this, the poster is not concerned with realism. Look at the figure’s enormous striped dress, how its folds appear weightless, as though inflated with air. The dress, with its exaggerated volume, embodies the spirit of consumerism and fashion. The lithographic process allowed artists to disseminate their work widely, reaching audiences far beyond the confines of galleries and museums. By exploring this intersection of commerce and art, Chéret transformed the streets of Paris into a vibrant public gallery.