A.M CASSANDRE’S VISUAL GRAPHIC ALCHEMY IN COMMERCIAL ILLUSTRATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Concept
2. Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron Cassandre Life and Career
3. Triumphant entry into the Industry
4. Creative works of Cassandre
5 Posters for beverages
6. Restaurants and bars
7. Transport advertising posters
8. Cassandre’s view of Airlines
9. Electronics
10. Conclusion
11. Bibliography
12.Image source
CONCEPT
Modern graphics design and advertising illustration will always sound meaningless without talking about Cassandre and his creativity. Greatness isn’t enough to describe his Innovations in graphics design and commercial illustrations. He is described as the greatest French graphics designer of the 20th century. Who turned every poster into a canvas and his work remains with a distinction and a personal signature due to the uniqueness of his creation. In the absence of Modern design soft wares but just a couple of instruments, Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron distinguished himself as Graphics designer, typographer, Lithographer, theater designer and Painter. Throughout his career Cassandre paid attention to delivering the message clearly through communication design but paying attention to the aesthetics of the lay out by combining graphical figures, geometry, color and text. Cassandre always loved to remain original in his work, this made him enthusiastic to invent typefaces, Including Bifur, Acier Noir, Touraine, Peighnot and Cassandre. All these typefaces were uniquely embedded into his work. Looking deep into his creativity, combining cubism and art-deco his work looked luxurious enough to win himself commissions from the leading companies of the time in the line of, transport, leisure and beverage companies. His posters were not only communicative but also aesthetically pleasing that up-to-date people crave to buy prints of his work as paintings. " Who buys a poster advertising a different company?» This would be the question of the listener but after being exposed to the works of Cassandre, no hesitation, the question will be reversed with an untamable greed to get a copy. «On the one hand, the purely geometrical form makes it easier than any other to fit clearly in a given format all the given elements, on the other hand, thus traced with engineering processes, a model can be reproduced without danger, without one being able to distort its essential spirit, that is to say all that the creator has put into it of himself. The imponderables with which we usually have to rely so much no longer exist. A poster is „one“ without possible alteration.
Designed with plumb line and ruler, the same instruments are used to mathematically transfer to the stone, and the machine then finds itself in front of elements which, instead of faulting it, serve instead to show its perspectives.» [Cassandre, by Henri Mouron, L’art Vivant, November 1926.] In his creation Cassandre prepared his sketches in a more constructive way using mathematical instruments by paying attention to perspective and proportion. He turned the Organic natural objects into simply Cubism and highlighted them with color and pleasing textures and a wholesome detailed combination of all these elements resulted into a powerful poster that you cannot observe with a single eye. Despite of his abstraction of different natural forms into cubism, the proportions remained satisfying, this can be traced in one of his works «Dubonnet». In this study we will explore the creativity and constructiveness of Cassandre. Typography played an important place in Cassandra’s work and was an integral part of the composition. In his poster «Etoile du Nord» (1927), he overlayed the «O’s» with the other letters and surrounded the poster with text, creating a frame that gave the viewer the impression of looking through the window of a train.[source, galerie123.com]. We will as well observe Cassadre’s use of typography as a tool to convey visual message beyond text itself just as it is seen in his work «Etoile du Nord» (1927), where he used letter «O» as a central element to visually show an impression of looking through the window as we have seen it in the previous statement. We will look at his processes and sketches of the creations of different works. Visually he created the sense of speed in his work through the use of lines and perspective. Posters in the 20th century were dominated by Adolphe Jean Mouron Cassandre, and this research is dedicated to the objective of exploring his Graphic Alchemy in commercial Illustration. We will observe the creative visual narratives of his work. Perhaps we will have to understand how his creativity has been an inspiration to the contemporary visual creatives and design thinkers.
ADOLPHE JEAN-MARIE MOURON CASSADRE (Life and Career)
Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron Cassandre
Adolphe Jean -Marie Mouron was born in Kharkov in the Russian Empire. He located in the historical region of Sloboda Ukraine before he moved to Paris for his education. He was born to French parents that’s mainly why he is distinguished as a French Graphic designer of the 20th century. However he spend almost all his Childhood between Russia and France. In 1915 he officially decided to settle in France where he enrolled to free Education at the Académie Julian in Paris. «The popularity of posters as advertising afforded him an opportunity to work for a Parisian printing house. Inspired by cubism as well as surrealism, he earned a reputation with works such as Bûcheron (Woodcutter), a poster created for a cabinetmaker that won first prize at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. Cassandre became successful enough that with the help of partners he was able to set up his own advertising agency called Alliance Graphique, serving a wide variety of clients during the 1930s. He is perhaps best known for his posters advertising travel, for clients such as the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits.[6] He was a pioneer of airbrush arts.”[en.wikipedia.org]
Cassandre is a distinguished poster and graphics designer, lithographer, typographer and painter of the 20th century. He is renown for his innovative creative skill of constructive work, by hand he combined cubism, Surrealism and art deco techniques to create Poster designs with a unique touch worth signing. Not so common, but Cassandre always signed his posters because they were beyond just posters they were Masterpieces of Graphics and Illustrations. His first advertising works (margarine Sacac, pasta Garres), were the curtain raisers of his career as a commercial advertising designer and illustrator, besides it its from these that he started embedding his signature „cassandre“ on almost all his works.
The Artist is also credited for his love for originality and exploration and challenging himself to do something new despite the fact that some of these seemed unachievable. In his testimony Raymond Savignac, disciple and admirer, stated that; «Because he hated being told: 'What you’re asking for is impossible, ' he was determined to learn as much as possible from every small job he did. Yet he never showed arrogance when he was able to demonstrate that his request was quite possible; he was simply happy to be able to prove it because he knew it would make a great difference in his production."[cassandre-freefrance.com] Due to this innovative character he is also credited for inventing various typefaces Bifur in 1929, the sans serif Acier Noir in 1935, and in 1937 he invented Peignot. «With the onset of World War II, Cassandre served in the French army until the fall of France. His business long gone, he survived by creating stage sets and costumes for the theatre, something he had dabbled in during the 1930s. After the war, he continued this line of work while also returning to easel painting. He worked with several famous French fashion houses, designing playing cards and scarves for Hermès and the well-known Yves Saint Laurent logo. In his later years, Cassandre suffered from bouts of depression prior to his suicide in Paris in June 1968. He was buried in the Parisian Montparnasse Cemetery (8th division)”[en.wikipedia.org]
Triumphant entry into the Industry
AU BUCHERON A.M.CASSANDRE 1923 REF 200055
AU BUCHERON A.M.CASSANDRE 1923 REF 200055 Foundational 1923 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for AU BUCHERON, «Le Grand Magasin du Meuble» located 10 rue de Rivoli, métro Saint-Paul, specializing in «Ameublement Décoration». This revolutionary work presents an allegorical composition of exceptional dramatic power, featuring a heroic lumberjack brandishing his axe in a striking dynamic surge, against a background of solar radiation in brilliant orange tones. The avant-garde stylization transforms the traditional.[Cassandre-france.com] This work was one of the first most successful posters and artworks of Cassandre he created in 1923 for a cabinet maker carpentry workshop. This work is was very satisfying that it won him an award and he earned a reputation by winning first prize at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. From this work he started receiving strong and expensive commissions.
Drawing workshop activity, A.M Cassandre at his table with Unknown woman Author Photo Leni Iselin-Undated
Cassandre became successful enough that with the help of partners he was able to set up his own advertising agency called Alliance Graphique, serving a wide variety of clients during the 1930s. He is perhaps best known for his posters advertising travel, for clients such as the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. He was a pioneer of airbrush arts.[en.wikipedia.org] In the 1930s the artist became so renown for his creative work which enabled him establish his own design company. Alliance graphique brough official commissions mostly for transport companies. Transport companies mostly shipping companies were really growing in number and travel by ship was at the becoming so usual that these advertising companies needed advertisement to keep them on update to the general public that’s when Cassandre and his friends through Alliance Graphique came and their creativity became diverse in these companies.
CREATIVE WORKS OF CASSANDRE
Posters for Beverages
Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre for the DUBONNET aperitif, featuring the famous ‘DUBO’
DUBON (part 2) A.M.CASSANDRE 1932 REF 200009 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1932 for the DUBONNET aperitif, presenting the second part of the famous ‘DUBON’
DUBONNET (final) A.M.CASSANDRE 1934 REF 200010 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1932 for DUBONNET, ‘tonic wine with cinchona’
creative process and sketches by A.M Cassandre
DUBO-DUBON-DUBONNET’ advertising trilogy.
THE APOTHEOSIS OF THE FAMOUS ‘DUBO-DUBON-DUBONNET’ advertising trilogy. This masterful work shows the emblematic character, now entirely coloured in burgundy red, pouring the aperitif from the characteristic bottle in a refined tasting ritual. The composition is bathed in a brilliant golden aura, symbolising the fulfilment and satisfaction that comes from tasting. This revolutionary creation completes one of the most innovative advertising campaigns in the history of global communications, transforming a narrative sequence into a graphic masterpiece. The poster embodies the excellence of French advertising art in the 1930s, a period when DUBONNET was establishing itself as the benchmark for cinchona-based aperitifs. This iconic work sublimates the French art of living in an Art Deco aesthetic, a perfect blend of wine-making tradition and visual modernity, becoming a universal symbol of French elegance and refinement.
Dubonnet reworked. Cassadre
Dubbonet Tonic wine, posters kept on evolving from the first time the the story board of Dubo, Dubbon and Dubonnet. The company kept asking for the updates depending on the particular time and season and above we can see the Winter version of Dubbonet tonic wine. and below is the summer version of Dubbonet
Dubbonet Tonnic wine, Poster by Cassandre
HUILOR A.M.CASSANDRE 1925 REF 2000542 Huilor 1925 poster by A.M.Cassandre.
HUILOR A.M.CASSANDRE 1925 REF 2000542 Huilor 1925 poster by A.M.Cassandre. The poster has a soothing composition were the artist paid attention to dominance by making the bottle of Huilor Yellow attracting the viewers. Besides, Choice of the application of the main text which is interactive introducing the viewer onto the main product.
PERNOD FILS A.M.CASSANDRE 1934 REF 200017 1934 poster created by A.M. Cassandre for PERNOD FILS, «Liqueur Qualité» from Pontarlier. This work presents a surrealist composition of exceptional technical audacity, orchestrating the iconic Pernod bottle in which a female face with delicate features is mysteriously reflected. Cassandre’s pictorial technique reveals here his mastery of mise en abyme and optical effects, transforming the traditional label into a poetic mirror of seduction. The sophisticated chromatic contrasts, dominated by the brilliant yellows of the background and the deep greens of the bottle, perfectly evoke the enchanting universe of absinthe and aniseed spirits. This poster testifies to the renaissance of French aperitifs in the 1930s, a period when PERNOD was redefining its identity after the prohibition of absinthe. The creation perfectly illustrates the evolution of advertising communication toward more psychological and symbolic codes. The work constitutes a masterpiece of French advertising art applied to spirits, a perfect alliance between Pontarlier’s distilling tradition and avant-garde aesthetics, a universal symbol of French excellence in liqueurs and sophisticated visual communication.
PIVOLO Apéritif aux Vins de France A.M.CASSANDRE 1924 REF 2000549 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1924.
PIVOLO Apéritif aux Vins de France A.M.CASSANDRE 1924 REF 2000549 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1924 for the Pivolo aperitif, brilliantly illustrating the artist’s creative spirit and conceptual approach. The poster reveals a sophisticated visual play on words: Cassandre realised that the name ‘Pivolo’ was phonetically reminiscent of ‘pie vole haute’ in French, giving rise to the emblematic image of the magpie that has become the brand’s mascot. [Cassandre-france.com] Cassandres Super Innovative interplay with shape in the composition made it really outstanding. The geometrical bird presented in a U shaped format blending with the glass in the fore ground creating the harmony in the composition. The highlighted glass reflections also drew the attention to the centre of the composition besides the creative application of the text Using the «V» the «O» and the «I» in the PIVOLO gave an interesting patterned text.
NICOLAS VERSION PROFIL A.M.CASSANDRE 1935 A 1935 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for Caves NICOLAS, featuring a revolutionary geometric composition in profile. This masterful work illustrates the refined stylisation of a wine glass into which the precious red nectar is poured, creating a sophisticated visual interplay between container and content. [Cassandre-france.com]
Americano-Manziori-Laperitit-de classe, poster by Cassandre
Americano-manziori-Laperitif de Clause, poster by Cassandre. In this poster Cassandre distributed the American flag onto this figure and a variation of the glasses is also seen Just as he did in Dubonnet. His work looks still like the chiaroscuro however he also embedded the blue sky which opened up the composition.
BONAL A.M.CASSANDRE 1935 REF 200018 1935 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for BONAL, aperitif «Gentiane-Quina des Montagnes de la Grande Chartreuse» with the slogan «Ouvre l’appétit». This work presents a sophisticated allegorical composition, featuring a stylized female silhouette drinking directly from the bottle in a gesture of striking modernity. The pictorial technique reveals Cassandre’s mastery in the art of geometric synthesis applied to the spirits universe, transforming tasting into a contemporary visual ballet. The brilliant chromatic contrasts, dominated by golden yellows of the background and delicate pinks scattered with stars, evoke the euphoric effect of the gentian and cinchona-based aperitif. This poster testifies to the golden age of French aperitifs in the 1930s, a period when BONAL embodied the Savoyard art of living. The work constitutes a masterpiece of French advertising art, a perfect alliance between Alpine tradition and avant-garde aesthetics, transforming aperitif consumption into a modern aesthetic experience, a universal symbol of French excellence in spirits and visual communication.
Restaurants and Bars
PRUNIER A.M.CASSANDRE 1934 REF 200074 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1934 for the famous Prunier restaurant.
PRUNIER A.M.CASSANDRE 1934 REF 200074 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1934 for the famous Prunier restaurant, a temple of Parisian gastronomy located at 72 St. James’s Street in London. This work featuring the golden fish presented in the aerial vie below the table covered with a brilliant white cloth giving a clear sense of contrast bringing the visual perception of the space floating elements in the composition. Besides the smoky green in the background of the gold fish and other elements. Giving Cullinary feel of the 1930 french restaurants.
WAGONS LITS COOK A.M.CASSANDRE 1933 REF 200060 Prestigious 1933 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for WAGONS LITS COOK
WAGONS LITS COOK A.M.CASSANDRE 1933 REF 200060 Prestigious 1933 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for WAGONS LITS COOK, illustrating the slogan «Partout… À votre service» in an exceptional narrative composition. This composition narrates a story of the wagon serving men removing their capes to show respect to the traveller moving in the white suit. This narrative shows nobility and customer care service visually described without ant text by A.M Cassandre. The Selection the colors Navy and light blue plus Burgundy the colors modern designers perceive as Noble colors. All these contrasting with the bright blue and pink colors embedded in the background giving the poster an expensive look.
CAFÉ LE CHAT NOIR A.M.CASSANDRE 1932 REF 2000544 Café Le Chat Noir poster (1932) by A.M.Cassandre:
CAFÉ LE CHAT NOIR A.M.CASSANDRE 1932 REF 2000544 Café Le Chat Noir poster (1932) by A.M.Cassandre: stylised silhouette of a black cat and packet of coffee. The first look at this poster makes the viewer think its a 21st century Poster due to minimal Details but so descriptive. The artist presents a silhouette Floating on a bright background Inscribing on top of a contrasting text a technique so much used by the contemporary designers.
WAGON-BAR A.M.CASSANDRE 1932 REF 200042 1932 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for the Compagnie des Wagons-Lits, promoting the WAGON-BAR.
WAGON-BAR A.M.CASSANDRE 1932 REF 200042 1932 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for the Compagnie des Wagons-Lits, promoting the WAGON-BAR service with the invitation «Restaurez-vous» and the promise «drinks — small meals at low cost». This revolutionary work presents a sophisticated railway still life, orchestrating wine bottle, red glass, golden bread and cutlery in a geometric composition of exceptional technical elegance. The stylized silhouette of the livery-clad waiter harmoniously structures the composition, evoking the refined service of prestige trains. [Cassandre-france.com]
Transport advertising posters
STEAM SHIPS TRAVELLING INFLUENCE. Around 1920 and 1930 there was a striking development in transport that led to a new innovation in Europe, «The steam — powered ships». This innovation influenced many companies to ivest in transoceanic transport. When the number of these companies increased there was stiff competition that companies started laying strategies on how to promote their businesses so they may win more customers. Intensive advertisement was the only response. There came in Cassandre as the answer to these noble companies.
«Masters of poster art, such as Adolphe Mouron (A.M.) Cassandre, created commercial posters thad used modern graphic design influences and a balance of text and imagery to effectively advertise travel. Cassandre’s L’Atlantique is an iconic example of travel poster art from the 1930s that simultaneously showcased the grand ocean liner, transoceanic travel, and the company and travel route. [Deepa Rao, (5)]
LE NORMANDIE A.M.CASSANDRE 1935 REF 2000513 An emblematic 1935 poster created by A.M.Cassandre
An emblematic 1935 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, celebrating the ocean liner NORMANDIE on the Le Havre-Southampton-New York route. This work presents a striking low-angle view of the ship, capturing its monumentality and revolutionary modernity. In thi composition Cassandre paid good attention to perspective using a low level view. Besides the Interplay of the colors with clean tones of grey giving a metallic look and the use of the orange designs which a contrasted with white on the upper body and the chimney. Due to all thes e forms the work attained a noble look.
NORMANDIE- New York — A.M.CASSANDRE 1935 REF 200084 A 1935 poster created by A.M.Cassandre
NORMANDIE- New York — A.M.CASSANDRE 1935 REF 200084 A 1935 poster created by A.M.Cassandre REworked Poster on new York Route
NORMANDIE- New York — A.M.CASSANDRE 1935 REF 200084 A 1935 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, celebrating the ocean liner NORMANDIE on the Le Havre-Southampton-New York route. The work presents a striking low-angle view of the ship, capturing revolutionary modernity. The graphic composition, which has become iconic in maritime Art Deco, reveals Cassandre’s genius in the art of visual synthesis and dramatic perspective. This work is a replica of NORMANDIE. The Artist Just changed the text giving them lighter bodies and more space.
STATENDAM A.M.CASSANDRE 1928 REF 200013 Iconic 1928 poster created by A.M.Cassandre
STATENDAM A.M.CASSANDRE 1928 REF 200013 Iconic 1928 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for the NEW STATENDAM steamship of the Holland-America Line, featuring the slogan «For Real Comfort» and announcing «Spring 1929». This revolutionary work presents a bold geometric composition, dominated by the ship’s stylized funnels in a sophisticated chromatic palette alternating golden ochres, emerald greens and immaculate whites. Cassandre’s pictorial technique reveals here his mastery of geometric abstraction applied to naval architecture, transforming the functional elements of the steamship into a modern visual symphony. [Cassandre-france.com]
LONDON A.M.CASSANDRE 1928 REF 200054 1928 poster created by A.M.Cassandre
LONDON A.M.CASSANDRE 1928 REF 200054 1928 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for the maritime connection «Goedkoope Biljetten naar London via Vlissingen-Harwich» (Cheap tickets to London via Vlissingen-Harwich), with information at travel offices and steamer «Zeeland» at Vlissingen. This work presents a geometric composition of exceptional technical audacity, stylizing the funnel of a steamship with characteristic colored bands in a striking dramatic perspective. Cassandre’s pictorial technique reveals here his mastery of abstractio
THE CONTINENT via HARWICH A.M.CASSANDRE 1928 REF 200043 1928 poster
THE CONTINENT via HARWICH A.M.CASSANDRE 1928 REF 200043 1928 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for the maritime connection «The Continent via Harwich», illustrating the British route to continental Europe. This work presents a geometric composition of exceptional technical sophistication, stylizing the characteristic elements of a steamship in a striking avant-garde abstraction. Cassandre’s pictorial technique reveals here his mastery of maritime synthesis applied to international transport, transforming the North Sea crossing into a modern aesthetic experience. The refined chromatic contrasts, orchestrating metallic tones and colored accents on a structured background, perfectly evoke the modernity and reliability of British maritime connections to the European continent. This poster testifies to the international expansion of French advertising art in the 1920s, a period when Cassandre was developing his collaboration with European transport companies. The work constitutes a masterpiece of Art Deco applied to international maritime travel, a perfect alliance between British technical excellence and French avant-garde aesthetics, transforming Harwich into an elegant gateway to Europe, a universal symbol of elegance in tourist communication and prestige maritime transport.
CÔTE D’AZUR A.M.CASSANDRE 1931 REF 200027 Advertising poster
CÔTE D’AZUR A.M.CASSANDRE 1931 REF 200027 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1931 for the SS ‘Côte d’Azur’, an ocean liner operating the Calais-Dover service with restaurant guaranteed by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits and Southern Railway Company. This work of maritime Art Deco illustrates the elegance of cross-Channel transport through a monumental architectural composition: the ship’s massive chimney with cubist proportions majestically dominates the composition, evoking the power and modernity of
SAGA A.M.CASSANDRE 1927 REF 200076 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1927 for SAGA (Société Anonyme de Gérance & d’Armement),
SAGA A.M.CASSANDRE 1927 REF 200076 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1927 for SAGA (Société Anonyme de Gérance & d’Armement), Compagnie des Bateaux à Vapeur du Nord based at 8 Place des Nations in Dunkirk, specialising in the ‘Algeria-Tunisia-Morocco’ routes. This work of maritime Art Deco illustrates the power of the French merchant navy through a striking architectural composition: the monumental silhouette of an ocean liner with stylised chimneys majestically dominates the waves, while an orange travelling case sym
BUGATTI A.M.CASSANDRE 1925 REF 200023 1925 poster created by A.M.Cassandre
BUGATTI A.M.CASSANDRE 1925 REF 200023 1925 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for BUGATTI, celebrating «Le Pur-Sang des Automobiles». This work presents a geometric composition of exceptional technical elegance, stylizing the characteristic elements of a prestige automobile in an avant-garde visual synthesis. The stylized silhouette of the greyhound, emblem of speed and elegance, harmoniously dialogues with the wheel with sophisticated spokes and the fluid lines of the bodywork. [Cassandre-france.com] A prestigious and expensive company like Bugatti entrusted Cassandre with this poster and his delivery of the clean and illustrative poster with minimal details wasnt disappointing.
RAI A.M.CASSANDRE 1929 REF 200050 Poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1930
RAI A.M.CASSANDRE 1929 REF 200050 Poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1930 for the RAI Amsterdam ‘Automobiel- & Motorrijwiel Tentoonstelling’ (Automobile and Motorcycle Show), held from 24 January to 2 February. This work presents a cubist composition of exceptional technical sophistication, stylising the mechanical elements of automobiles in a striking geometric abstraction. Cassandre’s pictorial technique here reveals her mastery of industrial synthesis applied to the world of the automobile, transforming pistons, cylinders and mechanisms into a modern visual ballet. The refined chromatic contrasts, alternating between metallic tones, deep blues and golden accents, perfectly evoke the technical precision of the Dutch car industry.
NORD EXPRESS A.M.CASSANDRE 1927 REF 200006 1927 poster project created by Cassandre
A.M.Cassandre Vitesse Luxe Confort locomotive mechanics NORD EXPRESS A.M.CASSANDRE 1927 REF 200006 1927 poster project created by A.M.Cassandre for the NORD EXPRESS, constituting a remarkable preparatory study revealing the artist’s creative process. This exceptional work presents a mechanical composition of pure geometric abstraction, stylizing the driving elements of a locomotive in a revolutionary visual synthesis. The pictorial technique reveals Cassandre’s mastery in the art of industrial decomposition, transforming wheels, connecting rods and pistons into a modern mechanical ballet with sophisticated metallic contrasts. Red accents harmoniously punctuate the deep grays and blacks, conferring a striking sculptural dimension to this vision of railway power. This study testifies to the excellence of Cassandre’s creative process, perfectly illustrating the genesis of his advertising masterpieces of the 1920s. The work constitutes an exceptional historical document of French graphic art, revealing the aesthetic research prior to definitive creations. This unique piece offers a privileged glimpse into the workshop of one of the greatest masters of world poster art, an unsurpassable symbol of French excellence in advertising creation and graphic innovation.
Cassandre’s View of Airlines
AIR ORIENT A.M.CASSANDRE 1935 REF 200085 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1933 for Air Orient
AIR ORIENT A.M.CASSANDRE 1935 REF 200085 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1933 for Air Orient, a French airline specialising in ‘France-Syria-Indochina par Avion via Air-Orient Poste Aérienne’ routes. This work of Art Deco aeronautics illustrates the epic of French colonial aviation through a revolutionary dynamic composition: a stylised plane with perfect geometric shapes hovers majestically above an exotic landscape. [Cassandre-france.com] Cassandre In this poster Imitated of the flying bird with an envelope giving a shadow of the flying plane. within the same busy poster, the designer portrayed Paris city in silhouettes making the poster feel as French as the company itself.
1930 advertising poster for Aéropostale, illustrating the Paris-Bordeaux-Biarritz air route d’Argent’. work by A.M.Cassandre
1930 advertising poster for Aéropostale, illustrating the Paris-Bordeaux-Biarritz air route under the poetic name ‘Flèches d’Argent’. This work by A.M.Cassandre features a stylised silver aircraft moving majestically across a deep azure sky, a symbol of the modernity and elegance of the nascent air transport industry. The graphic composition, characteristic of the Art Deco of the 1930s, combines visual power and aesthetic refinement. The circular red and blue logo of Aéropostale proudly adorns the aircraft, reflecting the meticulous visual identity of this prestigious French aeronautical company. This poster perfectly embodies the pioneering spirit of French commercial aviation, a period when air «lines» revolutionised travel between France’s major cities, transforming travel into a modern, sophisticated adventure
Posters for Electronics
PATHÉ A.M.CASSANDRE 1927 REF 200003 Historic 1932 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for PATHÉ, promoting «The most advanced electrical recording».
PATHÉ A.M.CASSANDRE 1927 REF 200003 Historic 1932 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for PATHÉ, promoting «The most advanced electrical recording».
This revolutionary work presents a dramatic composition centered on a monumental turntable with sophisticated modeling, capturing the essence of the sound revolution of the era. Cassandre’s pictorial technique reveals here his mastery of chiaroscuro and metallic contrasts, conferring a striking sculptural dimension to this emblematic object of musical modernity. The PATHÉ logo, adorned with its famous stylized rooster in brilliant gold, reigns majestically on the black vinyl, symbol of French excellence in the phonographic industry. This poster testifies to the golden age of sound recording in the 1930s, a period when PATHÉ was revolutionizing musical reproduction through electrical innovations. The work constitutes a masterpiece of French advertising art, a perfect alliance between artisanal tradition and avant-garde technology, transforming a technical apparatus into an object of aesthetic desire, a universal symbol of French excellence in sound innovation.
HEEMAF A.M.CASSANDRE 1930 REF 200072 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1930 for HEEMAF
HEEMAF A.M.CASSANDRE 1930 REF 200072 Advertising poster created by A.M.Cassandre in 1930 for HEEMAF (Hengelosche Electrische en Mechanische Apparaten Fabriek), a Dutch pioneer in industrial electricity. This work of electrotechnical Art Deco illustrates the power of electrical energy through a revolutionary technical composition:
THOMSON A.M.CASSANDRE 1931 REF 200039 1931 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for THOMSON.
THOMSON A.M.CASSANDRE 1931 REF 200039 1931 poster created by A.M.Cassandre for THOMSON, promoting «La Main-d'œuvre Électro-domestique». This work presents an allegorical composition of striking modernity, featuring a stylized hand holding a Thomson electrical appliance in a ballet of wires and golden stars evoking electrical energy.
CONCLUSION
The Versatility and creativity A.M Cassandre living through his generation with super strong work and keeping original is a challenge to the contemporary designers and creatives to keep the heads high towards creating a legacy of originality and creativity. The artist wasn’t Just a designer and illustrator he was an inventor giving life to art and design through his craft. The love for his work and passion to create restlessly triumphed first in the industry before his fame and financial success. Therefore we as the creatives should look at how to groom our craft and remain passionate towards the creation before we yarn for financial success too early. Perhaps the work presented in this study is not even 10 percent of the work by Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron. Although Cassandre lives no more his work and creativity left a mark on the creative industry and and his work as an inspiration to modern art.
«All my life, I have been pulled by two innate dispositions: a need for formal perfection that demanded an artwork from an artisan conscious of his duties as well as his limits, and a burning thirst for lyricism eager to break free—contradictory impulses that are hard to reconcile in our times.» -A.M. Cassandre
Mouron, Henri (1985). A. M. Cassandre. Translated by Michael Taylor. Rizzoli. ISBN 0-8478-0651-0.
Museum, Victoria and Albert. «Nord Express | Cassandre, Adolphe Mouron | V& A Explore The Collections». Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Collections. 2022
MoMA». The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 6 May 2022"A. M. Cassandre. Étoile du Nord. 1927 |
A Design Report & Analysis by Deepa Rao 2 0 1 4 Graphic Design Analysis
MoMA». The Museum of Modern Art. 1927 | «A. M. Cassandre. Étoile du Nord. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
8 A Owen — Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, 1984 — Taylor & Francis.Treatment and Mounting of a Poster Angleterre By AM Cassandre
11https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/019713684806028179T Treatment and Mounting of the poster by AM Cassandre
Mouron, Henri (1985). A. M. Cassandre. Translated by Michael Taylor. Rizzoli. ISBN 0-8478-0651-0. (27.11.2025)
«A. M. Cassandre. Étoile du Nord. 1927 | MoMA». The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 6 May 2022(26.11.2025)
«A. M. Cassandre. Triplex (Poster for a safety glass manufacturer). 1930 | MoMA». The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 6 May 2022. (27.11.2025)
«A. M. Cassandre. Étoile du Nord. 1927 | MoMA». The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 6 May 2022. (27.11.2025)
