The history of posters.
Copyright 2006 Smarket Limited
Posters have always represented freedom of expression. They
moved through history and up and down in popularity. They have
been used to advertise, speak out and create celebrities. The
history of posters is dotted with great inventions and people.
It starts in Europe and travels throughout the world to every
country.
The following outline details how the poster evolved through
history.
15th Century - Posters were hand painted and used as a way to
provide announcements and information to the towns people.
1628 - Companies began using posters for advertising purposes.
1798 - Alois Senefelder invented the process of Lithography
which helped posters to be produced in mass quantities easily.
Jules Charet was the first person to use the process for poster
making.
1803 - Production of rolls of paper began in London. This new
production made poster making easier.
1810 - Steam power was introduced and made poster production
faster.
1881 - France passed laws that established specific areas for
hanging posters and set a fee to be able to hang them. This made
posters the top source of advertising for businesses.
Today- Posters are used for entertainment, to get a message out,
political advertising, and many other reasons. Technology has
made poster making simple and quick.
Posters can be found all over. Offices use posters to inform
employees about company policies or safety measures. The
government uses posters to inform people about programs and
laws. Political candidates rely on posters as part of their
campaign. Celebrities pose for posters to gain popularity or
sell their image. Posters have been used to showcase talents and
provide necessary information. Posters can be words, pictures or
charts. The main purpose of a poster has never changed, though,
despite its move through history and technology; they have
always served as a source of information.