First Ladies of the Poster: the Gold Collection / by Laura Gold ; with an Introduction by Jack Rennert

Nowhere are we given a more profound glimpse into the dawning stages of women's emancipation than in turn-of-the-century posters.

In this revealing bookwith 206 full-color posterswe are presented with women stepping out of the confining traditional roles which they were cast and excercising their new-found liberation. We see them taking to the roads on bicycles, getting behind the wheel of automobiles, hoisting an aperatif, attending a ball unescortedand we are provided with glimpses into women's burgeoning, nascent sexual freedom.

This volume features all the top artists of the period: Toulouse-Lautrec, Bonnard, Grasset, Chret, Mucha, De Feure, Cappiello, Steinlen, Grn, Pal, Bradley, Penfield and others. These lively images not only reflected their time, but did much to inspire this new-found freedom.

The Gold Collection brings us the finest works from that time when posters were all the rage. It is awash with splendid images and vibrant colors, a window into a bygone era where a world of possibilities was just beginning to reveal itself to the women who craved an expanded role in society.

Laura Gold is one of the prominent poster dealers in New York. From her shop located in Carnegie Hall, she has built collections for her clientelle for over thirty years. She has specialized in the subject of women in posters from the turn of the century.