February 17th, 2023

Nicolas

The story behind ‘Nicolas’ and its character ‘Nectar’

Nicolas. 1930.
By Jules Isnard Dransy
140 x 200 cm

The Gallery is proud to have sourced and exhibiting the famous ‘Nicolas’ poster designed by Jules Isnard Dransy in 1930. The following will give you some background on Nicolas and its famous advertised character ‘Nectar’.

Depot Nicolas / Fines Bouteilles. 1922.

By Jules Isnard Dransy (1883-1945)
222.5 x 304.7 cm

Source: Image from Rennets Gallery

Nicolas is one of Frances’ most reputable wine distributors for 200 years began in 1822, when consuming wine at home was relatively unheard of, and the purchase of wine was often made from the Merchant or directly from the barrel. Founder of the company, Louis Nicolas, revolutionised wine drinking – by marketing wine by the bottle. Initially delivered to the home by a horse-drawn carriage, it changed the way people consumed wine.

Nicolas. 1927.

By Charles Loupot (1892-1962)
226 x 305 cm

Source: Image from Rennerts Gallery

In 1922, when Etienne Nicolas took over the company, he approached the artist Dransy with a proposition; to design a poster for the brand that explained how the company delivered wine directly to the consumers door. This iconic design of a delivery man affectionately known as ‘Nectar’ was soon to become one of the most recognisable faces in France. Nectar was the first cartoon used in advertising, and was featured in various locations around France, inspiring and enchanting generations of wine drinkers. The image of the delivery man Nectar, always with a stunned appearance, became an inspiration for later posters by Cassandre, Loupot, and Iribe, amongst others.

Nicolas : Maquette. 1948.

By A. M. Cassandre (Adolphe Mouron, 1901-1968)
80 x 60 cm

Source: Image from Rennerts Gallery

Today, Nicolas has a total of 530 stores across France and the UK, including major towns and cities. Nicolas stocks more than 1,200 wines, champagnes and other beverages. Nicolas is the most popular wine distributor, selling the most high quality wine in France.

Nicolas. 1933.

By Charles Loupot (1892-1962)
50 3/8 x 79 1/2 in./131 x 202 cm

Source: Image from Rennerts Gallery

October 12th, 2022

Michel Quarez

Michel Quarez was born in 1938 in Damascus, Syria. After returning to France, Quarez trained at the l’Ecole National Superiéure des Arts Décoratifs, a school for Arts & Design. Later, Quarez was to study under the Polish poster artist, Henryk Tomaszewski, known to many as the “father” of the Polish Poster School.

After a career in art and advertising, which mainly included working as an illustrator, Quarez began to design posters. Many of them were screen-printed in bright, bold colours. This was to become a trademark for Quarez and his designs. Fluro yellow, vivid greens, neon pink and deep blues- colours that would attract passerby’s on the streets. His posters demand attention. Most of the works were centred around a particular theme or place, Saint Denis (norther suburb of Paris) for example, which has a predominately high immigrant community, where Quarez lived himself.

Quarez frequently addressed issues such as discrimination, homophobia, the fight against AIDS, unemployment and social inequality. His bright designs added colour and humour to the streets; his strong political views sparking conversation and intrigue.

Quarez passed away on December 8th, 2021 and leaves behind a legacy, his posters are as relevant today as they were thirty years ago. Quarez occupies a current place in the landscape of art and poster design.

“The street is my gallery and I make no distinction between painting and making a poster” – Michel Quarez

View our collection of Quarez posters: here

Photos from Carolien Garvelink-Glazenburg

May 09th, 2022

Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent ‘LOVE’ Posters

Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent, professionally known as Yves Saint-Laurent, was a French fashion designer who, in 1961, founded his own fashion label ‘YSL’. He is regarded as being amongst the most famous fashion designers of the twentieth century.

During the early 1970’s, Yves Saint Laurent sent ‘LOVE’ cards to his closest friends and family in the form of drawings or collages. More than seventy original creations around the word “Love”, were composed by the designer himself. These cards were then produced as posters which we are honoured to have as part of our collection.

View our entire collection of YSL Love posters here!

October 03rd, 2019

Joan Miró Exhibition

Joan Miró was a Spanish painter, sculptor, and ceramicist born in Barcelona. The museum, Fundació Joan Miró, is dedicated to his work, founded in 1975, and his works are part of collections at major galleries all around the world. Currently, the exhibition “Joan Miró. Beyond painting.” is showing at the Fondaion Maeght, curated by Rosa Maria Malet, former director of the Fundació Joan Miró. The exhibition is based upon the creative process of Miró’s work; consisting of artist’s proofs, posters, prints, original lithographs, printing plates, final proofs and rare books.

We have a selection of RARE original Miró lithographs from the Galerie Maeght, and the Festival of Miro, click here to view

“The more I work, the more I want to work. I want to try my hand at sculpture, pottery, printing, have a press,” – Miró

May 21st, 2019

FAVOR by Bellenger 1952

‘Favor’ was established in 1898 as a manufacturer of bicycles by founder Guillaume Etienne, in central France. Favor manufactured their first motorcycle, which was a 125cc two-stroke, in 1921.

The company, which began to grow in popularity with both men and women, built midrange two-stroke and single cylinder four-stroke engines.

During the late 1950’s, the European motorcycle industry suffered due to the popularity of small car sales, during this time, Favor ceased the manufacturing of motorcycles. However, Favor continued to produce motorised bicycles, which is what we can see depicted in the rare and sought after Favor poster by Bellenger from 1952.

Bellenger was a famous French graphic artist, and his designs for Favor have become renown world-wide.

Click here to view and purchase FAVOR.

April 18th, 2019

Framing the Aspro Savignac

It took us a while to frame this huge Aspro, one of Savignac’s most iconic poster. The size of the poster is 4.2×1.6 metres. Thank you to Fini, the best framers in Australia, they were the only ones that could have framed it so beautifully. Framed in sustainable Tasmanian Oak and UV protective acrylic.

January 31st, 2019

RARE James Bond, ‘Moonraker’ Film Poster 1979

New Arrival!

James Bond ‘Moonraker’ 1979

Released in 1979, Moonraker was the eleventh James Bond film which stared Roger Moore and was directed by Lewis Gilbert, who previously directed two other James Bond films including; You Only Live Twice (1967), and The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

The plot of Moonraker sees British Secret Service agent Bond 007, travel to Venice, Rio De Janeiro and even outer space to supersede, Sir Hugo Drax (played by Michael Lonsdale) who’s aim it is to restart the entire human race… from space! Bond meets the beautiful CIA agent Holly Goodhead (Lois Chiles) and both are on a mission against time in an effort to stop Hugo Drax from his scheme to destroy all human life on earth…

This is an original vintage film poster produced in 1979 for the release of the film, this is a RARE poster which is linen backed and in excellent condition!

Click here for more info!

January 29th, 2019

Andy Warhol’s Perrier!

During the beginning of the 1980’s, Warhol began accepting commissions from a range of manufacturers and businesses; this screen print was an experimental design for French mineral water, Perrier, from 1983. In the same year, it was awarded the Grand Prize of the French Poster. This Perrier poster is held at the Scottish National Gallery Of Modern Art, the Tate and MoMA. We are lucky enough to have this RARE six panel poster as part of our unique Andy Warhol collection!

View our collection of original Andy Warhol vintage posters here !

Few American artists are as instantly recognisable as Andy Warhol; he is one of America’s most influential artists from the early 1960’s, up until his untimely death in 1987. In the 1960’s, New York exploded with a new movement, Pop Art. At the forefront, Warhol began to examine themes of celebrity, pop culture and advertising in his works.

Consumer goods and advertising imagery were flooding the lives of a post-war America, and Warhol used brands such as Coca-Cola, Campbells soup cans, and Brillo soap to discuss themes of consumerism, American identity, and transform everyday objects into works of art.