the Russian maîtres de l'affiche

Exceptionally scarce set of catalogues from the landmark exhibition, with the portfolio of plates.

In 1897, the first International Exhibition of Art Posters in Russia was held in St. Petersburg. The large-scale event included about 700 exhibits, representing artists from France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, England, the USA, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The 'founding fathers' of poster art were on display for the first time - Cheret, Toulouse-Lautrec, Mucha, as well as Steinlen, Chavannes, Redon and Vallotton.

The Russian section was much smaller with only 28 works and included designs by Sudeikin and Vasnetsov. Poster art was still in its infancy in the Russian Empire and this exhibition marked a significant turning point in its popularity. After the Revolution avant-garde artists took poster design in a whole new direction with their groundbreaking propaganda.

This brings together both parts of the catalogue; the first part includes a full list of the exhibits along with some illustrations in black and white. The second part is a portfolio of 43 (out of a total of 48 lithographs). Both parts of the catalogue are exceptionally rare, with only one complete copy, at the National Gallery of Art Library in the US. The Russian State Library only has 41 of the lithographs. Joining the two volumes is a third thinner catalogue with green wrappers, presumably a pocket edition sold at the exhibition which seems to be even scarcer.

Limited edition, 1000 copies printed, of which these three are unnumbered, 3 vols, folio; two volumes (with illustrations in black and white), and one folder with 43 (of 48) lithographs, loose as issued; in the original printed wrappers designed by Solomko, some repairs to wrappers of the two text vols and to the spine of the plate vol., very good copies.