143 x 88 in./363.2 x 223.5 cm
Affiches Mauzi Joyant, Paris
Misti executed several promotions for the Pygmalion department store, and this four-sheet billboard is one of the most fascinating specimens of his work. Using their selection of magnificent artist’s sketch books as a jumping off point for the 1907 holiday gift sale, the design features an array of bewildering elements combined to create an enchanting image of delightful consumerism. The frieze at top uses the repeating motif of package-laden customers streaming towards their homes to create a flurry of a street scene, while the bottom tableau recreates a charming Dutch figurine pastoral. And though the fancy lad with out-turned pockets to the right would seem to indicate a less than bounteous atmosphere, the implied message seems to be that even if you are beset by less than prosperous times, Pygmalion can still come through with an assortment of gift-giving splendor.
