L’art est dans la rue at the Musée d’Orsay

“L’art est dans la rue”, a colourful and well documented exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay, explores the rise of the illustrated poster, which came to dominate the streets of Paris during the second half of the 19th century. The exhibition brings together nearly 230 works by pioneering artists such as Jules Chéret, widely regarded as the father of the modern poster, Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Bonnard and Alphonse Mucha. Surprisingly, this is the first ever comprehensive exhibition dedicated to 19th century poster art. Evidently I didn’t want to miss it.

The exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Amazingly, the collection of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France encompasses more than 100,000 illustrated posters. This is because by law a copy of every poster had to be deposited at the national library.

The development of a new type of illustrated poster in the second half of the 19th century marked a radical shift in urban visual communication. Paris was at the centre of this transition. Due to advancements in lithographic printing posters could be made larger and, even more importantly, in colour. Once used for official announcements, posters transformed into a dynamic medium that not only promoted commercial products but also came to embody the spirit of modern life. As such the poster became a cornerstone of the Belle Époque, blending art with commerce, and capturing the changing pulse of society during a time of rapid urbanization which also saw the emergence of consumer culture.

This transformation turned posters into both celebrated art forms and contested elements of public space. While the artistic avant-garde embraced posters for their beauty and urban presence, others saw them as a visual intrusion on historic cityscapes. Meanwhile, the profession of the billposter became a cultural icon, reflecting the growing presence and importance of posters in everyday life. The booming popularity of posters reflected their dual function—as vehicles for mass advertising and as tools for shaping public imagination.

The rise of illustrated posters as a means of visual communication coincided with the emergence of consumer culture, itself fueled by the industrial revolution. Posters played a major role in commercial advertising and were essential to the rise of department stores, tourism, and popular entertainment. Artists and advertisers began to target specific demographics, from men and women to children, tailoring visual messages to appeal to a growing consumer base. Major retail establishments used posters not only to advertise their products but also to cultivate a brand identity. I enjoyed seeing all those vintage posters advertising chocolate, milk and biscuits.

Artists like Alphonse Mucha and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec pushed the boundaries of poster design, with bold graphics and daring compositions. In the mid-1890s, at the height of her fame, Sarah Bernhardt, arguably the first superstar, commissioned Alphonse Mucha to create a series of posters, which have since become iconic. Théophile Alexandre Steinlen's poster for "Le Chat Noir" has similarly become iconic.

During the 1890s posters also began to attract collectors giving rise to what became known as “poster mania”. A specialized market in illustrated posters emerged, with dealers, exhibitions and specially designed collectors items.

Towards the end of the 19th century, posters evolved into platforms for political and social expression. Following the 1881 Freedom of the Press Act, the liberalization of public display laws allowed political posters to enter the streets. These posters addressed a wide spectrum of ideologies—from anarchist publications to far-right propaganda—and were designed to visually confront and engage passers-by. Artists such as Théophile Alexandre Steinlen and Jules Grandjouan created powerful compositions meant to stir emotion and political awareness. Posters thus became more than advertisements; they were statements of social commentary and tools of ideological mobilization during a time of growing public activism and political tension.

By the turn of the century, the illustrated poster had firmly embedded itself in all facets of urban life—from art and commerce to politics and popular culture. The medium not only mirrored the changes of the industrial age but also helped shape how people experienced and understood the modern world. Posters adorned city walls, captured public attention, and documented shifting cultural values. They connected art with everyday life, turning streets into open-air galleries and public forums. Through both their aesthetic and functional power, posters reflected the optimism, contradictions, and complexities of the Belle Époque and early 20th-century France.

L’art est dans la rue (Art is in the Street) is at the Musée d’Orsay until 6 July 2025.