Georges Meunier Biography

Meunier, a beaux Arts-trained painter and decorative artist, also designed 56 known posters that are much in the manner of Cheret, not surprising since he worked at the master's Chaix printing plant, started in 1894. (Jack Rennert, PAI-XXII 414)                                                    

By 1880, this new art form had attracted other designers. Steinlen and Toulouse-Lautrec followed to a great extent the established pattern of Cheret. The subject matter of their posters was essentially the same--devoted to advertising the night life, frivolity and colorful splendor of the music halls and cabarets of gay Paris. Lautrec, who was perhaps the better draftsman, exerted a tremendous influence on other poster designers. By experimenting with the new poster technique. George Meunier, Pierre Bonnard, Alphone Mucha, Eugene Grasset and Adolphe Willette, stood out from among the rest.

Georges Meunier (1869-1934)

Meunier was born in Saint-Cloud, France in 1869. He moved to Paris as a young man and studied at the National School of Fine Arts; there, he was a student of artist Joseph-Robert Fleury. Following this training, Meunier attended The School for the Decorative Arts where he was trained in both classical and modern design, these skills would later influence his poster graphics. Subsequent to his education, Meunier's posters were exhibited in salons throughout Paris, giving his work notoriety. George Meunier was a prolific artist at the turn-of-the-century influenced greatly by Cheret, the founder of the advertising poster movement. Meunier succeeded Cheret at the Chaix printing house as principal artist and director. He worked as a poster artist for only a short time, making a career change to a book illustrator, which he pursued until the end of his life.