Cassandre
- 'Normandie'
French Line Poster 1935
www.allposters.com
Cassandre
was one of the great poster designers of the 20th century.
His real name was Adolphe Mouron. Born in the Ukraine
in 1901, his family were forced to migrate to Paris due
to the hostile political climate. He originally studied
painting at the Écoles des Beaux Arts in Paris
but, at the age of 22, he started designing posters under
the name Cassandre.
Techniques
Cassandre
- 'Étoile du Nord'
Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits Poster 1927
www.allposters.com
Cassandre's
posters celebrate the new modes of luxury transport that
characterise the prosperous lifestyle of his day. He used
stencils and an airbrush to create his stylised images
of speeding trains such as “Étoile du Nord”
and “Nord Express” which drew upon the art
of Cubism
and Futurism (an Italian variation of Cubism).
Cassandre
- 'Air-Orient'
www.allposters.com
Art
Deco
Cassandre's style is typically Art Deco and his posters
have become iconic images of that period (mid 1920’s
to mid 1930’s). The name, Art Deco, was coined retrospectively
in the 1960’s as an abbreviation for the ‘Exposition
des Arts Décoratifs et Indstriels Modernes’,
a 1925 design exhibition in Paris that celebrated modern
living. Art Deco was a fusion of various early 20th century
styles: a combination of Art Nouveau’s stylised
curves with the geometric abstraction of Cubism, Futurism
and Constructivism (a Russian form of abstract art). Art
Deco also borrowed ideas from historical and ethnic sources
such as the art of ancient Rome and Greece, Aztec, African
and Egyptian art. The artifacts and treasures discovered
in Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 had a strong influence on
the Art Deco style. Art Deco objects often use unexpected
combinations of materials like snakeskin, leather, marble,
hardwoods, steel, alluminium, bronze, plastic, ivory,
glass and crystal. The iconic Art Deco design comprises
zigzag and streamlined forms in combination with formal
geometric shapes. The designs always place the decorative
style of an object before its functional qualities.
Alliance
Graphique
Cassandre
- 'Dubonnet'
Dubonnet Poster 1932
www.allposters.com
Cassandre’s
designs greatly influenced advertising art in the first
half of the 20th century. He believed that “Designing
a poster means solving a technical and commercial problem....in
a language that can be understood by the common man.”
In 1926, Cassandre co-founded the advertising agency Alliance
Graphique. His agency created many of the classic designs
of the 20th century and evoked a particularly French style.
Cassandre
- 'Dubo - Dubon - Dubonnet'
Dubonnet Poster 1932
www.allposters.com
His posters for the Dubonnet wine company, “Dubo
Dubon Dubonnet” (1932), were the first specifically
designed to be read from fast-moving vehicles. He also
introduced the idea of the serial poster: a group of posters
to be seen in rapid succession to convey a complete idea.
Typography
Cassandre
- 'Nord Express'
Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits Poster 1927
www.allposters.com
Cassandre designed several classic art deco typefaces:
Bifur (1929), Acier Noir (1935) and Piegnot (1937). He
only used capitals in his designs as he believed that
they were more legible, especially when seen on a large
scale. The way Cassandre links his typography
with his images is one of the hallmarks of his design.
Type is not a separate element but is integrated with
the image to create the unified concept of the design.
Cassandre
Notes
