The History of Posters Is the History of Printing: An Interview with Angelina Lippert

Abstract

Abstract: This article presents a series of videos featuring Angelina Lippert, the Chief Curator and Director of Content of Poster House in New York City. Poster House is the first museum in the United States dedicated to the art and history of the poster. The museum's goal is to exhibit all types of posters, from silkscreen to letterpress, from all over the world. Lippert details her career, which she began by interning at a New York poster auction house; there, she learned about the inner workings of the poster collection trade, from contracts to historical insights. Lippert shares her expert opinion on what posters are: a public-facing notice meant to persuade that marries word and image. She notes that the history of posters is the history of printing and that posters are a tool or byproduct of commerce with a very close relationship to advertising and commercial art. The discussion explores the history of posters globally, including the importance of the 1860s and stone lithography, the unique style used by New England literary advertisers in the 1890s, the work of Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, Blaxploitation posters from the 1970s, and Air India's Maharaja posters from 1946–1972, among other Poster House exhibitions. Poster House also features unique and vibrant programming online, which Lippert explains through a description of her favorite must-watch sessions. She also provides information and advice on how to conduct research involving posters as well as tips on how and why to preserve posters for posterity.