When Hearts Are Trumps | Maitre de L’Affiche: Plate #52

This artwork is from Les Maitres de L’Affiche series; miniature versions of outstanding stone lithograph artworks of the most important advertising posters by the finest artists.

“The art poster in America was mainly a product of the publishing trade, and by the mid 1890’s, posters had become an accepted extension of a publisher’s normal activities. To herald a book of ‘society verses’ titled ‘When Hearts are Trumps’ the Chicago firm of Stone and Kimball publishers of ‘The Chap book’ and American issuers of ‘The Yellow book’ turned to Bradley. He came up with this vaguely disturbing, erotic image. A besotted faun and nymph entwined with grapevines and each other.” (Rennert, PAI-XX, 156)

“Bradley designed a curvilinear, Beardleyesque poster printed in vermilion and green for Tom Hall’s ‘When Heart’s are Trumps’…this poster is one of the masterpieces of Art Nouveau style in America” (Lauder, p.17)