Poster collecting has always been a passion. In 1895, when the poster as an art form was in its infancy, Jules Cheret created a subscription series, Maîtres de L’Affiche (Masters of the Poster) based on famous posters of the time. Issued in a small 11” x 15” format, subscribers would receive four posters every month for a year. Cheret, a famous poster artist in his own right, included one of his posters in each monthly packet of four. Other famous artists in the group included Toulouse Lautrec, Steinlen and Mucha. The series lasted for five years and 256 Maîtres were created (special posters were issued at year’s end). Today, most all of the Maîtres remain, and are highly collectible. This is Maîtres Plate 177 by Cheret, issued in 1899.