There are many forms of lithography – linocut, letterpress, offset lithography, silkscreen and photolithography – but the earliest fine art posters were almost always created on stone. This labour-intensive process required artists to draw or trace their designs onto meticulously prepared limestone blocks, a task that could take hours.

A highly skilled printer would then ink the stone, prepare the coloured oils and run each sheet through the press by hand, creating individual artworks.

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By the late 1940s, Pablo Picasso was producing lithographs at Atelier Mourlot, which led naturally to creating posters for his exhibitions – combining an artwork with hand-drawn lettering and details of the show. Other artists and galleries quickly followed, with print runs ranging from a few hundred to several thousand.

Each poster was, and remains, a unique piece of art history, offering collectors a work by a major artist for a fraction of the price of a painting.

We scour French flea markets, international auction houses and private archives across Europe for authentic, original posters at the best prices. Every piece is verified by our expert team.

Some date back to the late 1940s, while many were printed in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

The short answer: it varies, and the prices reflect this. 

Every piece, whatever its age, has a story. No two are the same. From pristine to beautifully worn, every stain, crease, tear and frayed edge records its journey from Parisian billboard to our King’s Road gallery.

Some come from tiny print runs, others have simply survived the decades and many whisper ‘buy me’ because they’ve been touched by the hands of a master.