Les Maitres de L'Affiche - 1899 Planche # 167 - Papier à Cigarettes Job, Hors Concours, Paris 1889

About the poster:

JOB rolling papers are a popular brand of cigarette paper produced by Republic Tobacco in Perpignan, France. In 1838, a French craftsman named Jean Bardou came up with the idea for a booklet of rolling papers made of thin, pure rice paper. The booklets were a success and Bardou's trademark, the initials "JB" separated by a diamond, became such a common sight that people began referring to them as JOB, thus the brand-name was born. By 1849 he filed for a patent for "Papier JOB". In the late 1890s, the company hired art nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha, as well as many other artists, to design advertising posters for the brand. This is one such poster by artist Georges Meunier.

About Les Maitres de L'Affiche:

Maîtres de l'Affiche (Masters of the Poster) refers to 256 color lithographic plates used to create an art publication during the Belle Époque in Paris, France. The collection, reproduced from the original works of ninety-seven artists in a smaller 11 x 15 inch format, was put together by Jules Chéret, the father of poster art. The varied selection of prints were sold in packages of four and delivered monthly to subscribers. On sixteen occasions during the selling period between December 1895 through November 1900, the monthly package included a bonus of a specially created lithograph.

About the artist:

Georges Meunier (1869-1934), a French, beaux Arts-trained painter and decorative artist, also designed 56 known posters. Meunier's posters were exhibited in salons throughout Paris, giving his work notoriety. He was a prolific artist at the turn-of-the-century influenced greatly by Cheret, the founder of the advertising poster movement. Meunier succeeded Cheret at the Chaix printing house as principal artist and director. He worked as a poster artist for only a short time, making a career change to a book illustrator, which he pursued until the end of his life.

Particulars: Each original Maîtres de l'Affiche lithograph has an embossed stamp in the bottom right corner and was printed on thick paper 
It has been professionally conserved by going through a de-acidification and cleaning bath (see poster and print conservation and restoration)