ALPHONSE MUCHA LA DAME AUX CAMELIAS. 1898.

15 1/2x11 inches. Chaix, Paris.
Condition A-: archival tape, paper abrasions and water staining on verso. Paper.
Plate 144 of Les Maitres de l'Affiche (the poster was printed in 1896), showing Sarah Bernhardt holding her shawl around her neck, against a lavender, silver-star studded sky. "The poster became one of Sarah's favorites... [and] with its delicate coloring, tasteful pose and exquisite design, it remains one of the all time masterpeices of poster art" (Rennert / Weill p. 76). Printed by the Chaix publishing house as a concession to the growing craze of poster collecting at the end of the 19th century, Les Maitres de l'Affiche (Masters of the Poster) presented reproductions of the best and most famous posters from around Europe and America as selected by the famous critic Roger Marx. Each is a full-color lithograph printed on high quality paper; they were issued to subscribers on a monthly basis, in groups of four. Their appeal was, and remains, their small, easy-to-collect format. Rennert / Weill 13 (var). Mucha, A11, Weill, p. 40 (var).