Poster Auctions International

“During the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution fundamentally changed the appearance of the world due to a number of major scientific breakthroughs... A series of revolutionary discoveries enabled electricity to be generated, harnessed and sold... Innovations were sold to the steadily growing crowds visiting the pavilions at world exhibitions and electricity trade fairs. Public response to the Electricity Fairy and her vision of the future was overwhelming. The dazzling allegorical figure, giving a human face to a physical phenomenon which by its very nature cannot be depicted, conveyed intimations of luxury and festive extravagance in ever greater measure... The advent of electric power and lighting coincided with the triumphant arrival of the art poster. It comes as no surprise, then, that progressive entrepreneurs frequently used this modern medium to win over public opinion... The Electrical Fairy’s theatrical pose and the hypnotic lighting effects high above the Marseilles exhibition ground give this poster by David Dellepiane strong dramatic expressiveness. The effects of the light on the Fairy’s green body and the trailing clouds and plumes of smoke against the red sky are extremely subtle” (European Electricity, p. 17).
Imp. Moullot, Marseille
literature: Dellepiane, p. 163; European Electricity, p. 16 & 17; Masters 1900, p. 28; PAI-XCI, 231