JEAN DE PALEOLOGU - Rayon D'Or

THE ARTWORK

The "Rayon d'Or" poster by Jean de Paleologu (also known as Pal) was created around 1895. It was designed as an advertisement for a French lighting company that specialized in gaslight fixtures. The poster, printed by Paul Dupont in Paris, uses vibrant colors and Art Nouveau elements to capture attention, characteristic of Paleologu's style. It features a central figure—a nude woman with small translucent wings and draped in an ethereal fabric floats in the air, bathed in the warm light of a heavenly gas lamp. The wording in red, "Rayon D'Or - Dernier Mot De L'Eclairage", translates as "Golden Ray - Last Word In Lighting".

Paleologu, a Romanian-born artist, was known for his elegant and visually engaging posters. His works often included female figures and elements of French poster art, which made his advertising designs both artistic and commercial successes. The "Rayon d'Or" poster is notable for its artistic approach to promoting a product that was innovative for its time, highlighting the allure of modern gaslighting solutions during the late 19th century.

THE ARTIST

Jean de Paleologu (also known as Jean de Paléologue, or PAL) was a Romanian-born artist and illustrator, best known for his vibrant contributions to poster art during the Belle Époque period in France. Born in Bucharest around 1855, Paleologu came from a noble family of Greek origin. He eventually moved to Paris, where he became a prominent figure in the thriving artistic community.

Paleologu’s work is notable for its involvement in the development of the Art Nouveau style, characterized by its fluid lines, graceful forms, and organic motifs. He worked extensively in lithography and is best known for his posters advertising cabarets, theaters, and early automobile companies. His lively, often whimsical depictions of dancers, entertainers, and fashionable women captured the energy of Paris at the turn of the century.

One of his most iconic works is his series of posters for the Folies Bergère, a famous Parisian cabaret. His posters are celebrated for their bold use of color, expressive figures, and dynamic compositions. Though not as widely known today as contemporaries like Toulouse-Lautrec, Paleologu made significant contributions to the poster art movement of his time, reflecting the spirit and exuberance of late 19th-century Parisian culture.

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