An elegant lithograph from the Letters and Signs series (2nd series) , published by H. Vial, successor to Ch. Juliot in Dourdan around 1900. The alphabet shown, surmounted by the word BUFFET and adorned with cartouches reading “COIFFEUR” and “BAR,” embodies the typography of shops and cafés during the Belle Époque. Its yellow letters with brown shading on a textured green background evoke the painted and gilded signs found in train stations, brasseries, and public establishments at the beginning of the 20th century. The relief and border work testifies to exceptional craftsmanship, straddling the line between sign design and decorative art.
✦ Origin: France, H. Vial ✦ Period: Circa 1900 ✦ Dimensions: 43 × 32 cm ✦ Material: Polychrome lithograph on heavy paper ✦ Condition: Very good condition, vibrant colors, slight signs of age on the edges.
A rare typographic design evoking the elegant shop windows and gilded fronts of Belle Époque cafes and station buffets.
