A.M. (Adolphe Mouron) Cassandre

Ukranian born French artist, A.M.Cassandre (Adolphe Mouron B- 1901 D-1968) A poster and theatre designer, lithographer, painter and creator of typefaces, Cassandre, is one of the greatest commercial artists of this century. He reconciled the ideas of such contemporary avant-garde movements as Cubism, Surrealism and Neue Sachlichkeit with commercial art. Cassandre studied at the Academie Julian in Paris. In 1923, he designed his first poster. In 1925, he won first prize for posters at the Paris Exposition. In 1926, he founded the Alliance Graphique with Maurice Moyrand. In 1936 he had an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. From 1936 - 1939, he worked in the U.S. and designed covers for Harper's. In 1939, he returned to France and almost completely abandoned posters in favor of advertising, theatrical design and painting. Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron Cassandre was born in Kharkov, Ukraine, to French parents. As a young man, Cassandre moved to Paris, where he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and at the Académie Julian. 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.