Affiche voor opvoeringen bij het Cabaret Artistique te Scheveningen, onder directie van Max van Gelder 1914

This striking poster, made by Arnold van Roessel, advertises shows at the Cabaret Artistique in Scheveningen. It's made by the lithographic process, a key form of mass media in the early 20th century. The process of lithography involves drawing an image with a greasy substance onto a stone or metal plate, treating it with chemicals, and then using ink to print multiple copies. The strong blocks of color and bold typography, typical of posters from this era, grab the viewer's attention, promising an evening of entertainment. You see the names of the performers and the titles of the acts, all carefully arranged for maximum impact. What's interesting is how this poster reflects the burgeoning entertainment industry. It presents art as a commodity, something to be consumed by the public. The poster itself becomes a piece of that commercial machinery. The very act of making and distributing these posters contributes to a culture of mass production, a very different context from the hand-painted artworks you might see in a gallery.