Description
Lourdes is located at the foothills of the Pyrnees Mountains and is most known as a major Catholic pilgrimage site. In 1858, a local woman is said to have seen the Virgin Mary in one of the towns grottoes. The original poster was created for the Chemins de Fer du Midi, an early railway that serviced southwestern France. It operated routes connecting Bordeaux, the Pyrenees, and the Mediterranean.
Hugo d’Alesi (1849-1906) created the poster. Born in Romania, d’Alesi was one of the first true poster artists and he worked almost exclusively for the P.L.M. train company. He printed his posters in an elaborate fashion that often incorporated more than 15 colors, which gave them a rich, watercolor effect. His hundreds of poster designs were well-loved by all of France, including some famous artists. Paul Cezanne once said, “I should like to do decorative landscapes like Hugo d’Alesi, yes, with my small sensibility”.
