CHARLES EDWARD ALDRICH - Hood's Sarsaparilla

THE ARTWORK

One of Charles Edward Aldrich's iconic works is this 1896 poster for Hood's Sarsaparilla, a popular patent medicine marketed as a cure-all tonic. Hood’s Sarsaparilla, produced by C.I. Hood & Co., was widely advertised through aggressive campaigns, including colorful posters designed to capture public attention. Aldrich’s work exemplified the bold, vibrant style typical of advertising art at the time, featuring strong lines, bright colors, and a central figure symbolizing health and vitality. His posters were created not just to sell products but also contributed to the visual landscape of the period, merging commercial and artistic value. This Hood's Sarsaparilla poster reflects the era's merging of art and advertising, making Aldrich’s work an important part of the late 19th-century visual culture, and influencing the future of advertising design.

THE ARTIST

Charles Edward (C.E.) Aldrich was an American illustrator and poster artist active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known for his bold and vibrant style, Aldrich contributed significantly to the evolution of advertising and commercial art during a period when posters were a dominant medium for marketing. His work exemplified the emerging trend of merging artistic creativity with commercial needs, creating visually striking posters that captured public attention.

Aldrich’s style was characterized by strong lines, bold use of color, and dynamic compositions, making his posters not only functional as advertisements but also aesthetically appealing as works of art. His ability to craft engaging visual narratives helped elevate the status of advertising art in the late 1800s.

While Aldrich is best remembered for his commercial work, particularly his posters for various products, his contribution lies in helping shape the way products were marketed visually, influencing the future of graphic design and advertising.

THE PRINT

• A4 Size = 29.7cm x 21cm = 11.7" x 8.25"
• A3 Size = 42cm x 29.7cm = 16.5" x 11.7"
• High resolution giclée print - 600dpi
• Printed to order
• Unframed & unmounted
• Professionally printed using Canon imagePROGRAF printers
• Digitally restored by OharaPrints from high resolution scans of the original artwork
• Made in and shipped from Casterton, Victoria, Australia

PAPER

• Canson Infinity - Arches BFK Rives White
• Paper weight = 310gsm
• 100% cotton
• Archival, museum grade
• Acid free
• No OBAs (optical brightening agents)

Arches BFK Rives is a high-quality, archival-grade paper manufactured at the Arches paper mill in France - one of the oldest papermakers in Europe. It is made from 100% cotton rag using a time-honoured manufacturing process, giving the paper exceptional durability, longevity, and resistance to yellowing or deterioration over time. Despite its substantial weight and thickness it maintains a very soft and supple feel. The paper has a natural white tone and is completely free of any optical brighteners (OBAs), allowing for superb colour rendition and deep blacks.

INK

• Canon Lucia Pro Inks
• Pigment based
• Archival, museum-grade
• Brilliant colours, even gradient and razor-sharp lines
• Highly stable and fade resistant, excellent humidity-fastness

SHIPPING & HANDLING

• All orders are dispatched on the NEXT BUSINESS DAY after receiving the order
• All prints are shipped via AUSTRALIA POST with TRACKING
• For postage rates and estimated delivery times please see our SHIPPING page
• All prints are shipped flat, not rolled
• Each print is individually placed into a resealable, archival grade plastic protective sleeve
• Prints are carefully packaged in very sturdy 700gsm cardboard envelopes, along with 1050gsm boxboard sheets which provide extra strength & rigidity to prevent bending or folding during transit