art nouveau bicycle

CYCLES PLASSON — MANUEL ROBBE — c.1897

Original French advertising poster for Plasson bicycles designed by Manuel Robbe. The composition shows a confident female cyclist mounting her bicycle while elegantly dressed women remain in the background. The image captures the growing enthusiasm for cycling in the late nineteenth century, a period when the bicycle became a symbol of modern life and personal freedom. Robbe’s design is notable for its striking simplicity and dramatic use of color, particularly the vivid red sky that dominates the scene.

Manuel Robbe (1872–1936) was a French painter and printmaker trained at the Académie Julian in Paris. He became known primarily for his color prints and aquatints, though he also produced a small number of advertising posters during the poster boom of the 1890s. His work is associated with the Art Nouveau period and is appreciated for its refined composition and controlled color palette. The posters he created for the Plasson bicycle company are among his most recognizable advertising works.

Artist: Robbe, Manuel
Title: Cycles Plasson
Size: 32 x 46.5 inches / 81 x 118 cm
On / Off Linen: On linen
Print Technique: Stone Lithograph
Year: c.1897
Condition & Comments: Excellent condition on linen.