Cocorico 1899
Buy this print on Etsy →One bold rooster, one perfect pun. Cocorico is Theophile Steinlen's witty 1899 poster for the illustrated review of the same name, and it distills a great artist's humour into a single, unforgettable crow.
The title plays on the French onomatopoeia for a rooster's call, and Steinlen leans into the joke so completely that the word itself becomes almost superfluous: a proud, strutting cockerel dominates the composition and says everything the caption might. The design is spirited and economical, every line earning its place. Cocorico the publication was more than a bit of fun, though; it was a genuine champion of poster art, reproducing works by the major posterists and making fine design accessible to enthusiasts through its pages. Steinlen's image is a fitting emblem for that mission - direct, generous and full of life.
Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen (1859-1923) was a Swiss-French Art Nouveau artist famed for his tender Montmartre scenes and the graceful cats that recur throughout his work. A keen observer of everyday Parisian life, he brought warmth and humour to the commercial poster, and here he trades his beloved felines for a rooster with just as much personality.
Art Nouveau swept across Europe at the turn of the twentieth century, sweeping away rigid academic convention in favour of sinuous 'whiplash' lines, botanical ornament and idealised figures. It was the movement that first turned the humble advertising poster into a genuine art form and made the city street an open-air gallery.
Displayed at scale, a Steinlen poster becomes a genuine focal point. Its confident composition and warm palette hold their own above a sofa, bed or console, anchor a gallery wall of mixed prints, and bring warmth, colour and a sense of history to a living room, hallway, dining room, home bar, kitchen or studio. The proud rooster makes it a charming, characterful choice for a kitchen, breakfast room or country-style interior.
Printed to order on premium 189 gsm museum-grade archival matte paper with fade-resistant pigment inks for rich, gallery-quality colour and crisp detail. Choose your size from the drop-down menu - 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30 or 24x36 inches. Carefully packaged and shipped rolled in a sturdy tube (or flat for the smallest size); frame not included.
This is a faithful reproduction of the original stone lithograph - colour-matched and printed to archival standards rather than a flat mass-market copy. It preserves the texture and character of the antique poster while arriving crisp, clean and ready to frame.
A memorable gift for anyone who loves Art Nouveau, Steinlen and vintage French art - and a lasting way to bring a piece of poster history into a home, studio or workplace. Reproduced from a high-resolution scan of the original lithograph; subtle age-toning is part of its authentic historic character.
