Vintage Cinema, Theatre & Music Posters

A masked ball, a jazz orchestra, a dancer in full flight. Even before the curtain goes up, there’s a good deal happening here.

Digitally restored reproductions from £19.99, printed on 200gsm Enhanced Matte Fine Art Paper with pigment inks. Printed locally and shipped from the UK, US and Canada. Supplied unframed.

1920s US magic show poster: George in white-tie tux fans cards, Egyptian pyramids and red devils surround him | The Vintage Poster Archives

These vintage cinema, theatre and music posters range from Metropolis and Faust to Chéret’s Paris entertainments and Cappiello’s cabaret advertising. Ray Ventura brings the music; the dancers bring the movement. Choose the show that means something to you, or enjoy the glorious business of getting people through the door. These are performances in their own right, with rather good lettering.

The evening starts with the poster

A performance poster has a deliciously difficult job: make you imagine an experience you haven’t had yet. Film artwork can suggest a whole world in a single scene. A cabaret image might sell the performer’s personality. A concert poster has to make a sound look inviting on a silent sheet of paper.

The cinema selection includes silent film artwork for Metropolis, Faust and Greed. Compare the lettering, the treatment of the figure and the atmosphere each design establishes. Knowing the film adds another layer, but a strong image can make its own introduction before you have seen a frame.

Cabaret, dance and a little Parisian exuberance

Chéret’s Olympia and masked ball designs bring movement and celebration to the collection. Cappiello’s Folies Bergère and Grand Bal Masqué posters offer their own theatrical personalities. Dance appears through performers including Georges Pomiès and Napierkowska, while Balet Polski takes the selection in another direction.

For music, Ray Ventura and the PHI Nerfi Jazz Club design offer an alternative to a film led wall. Choose a print for the sort of evening you would have liked to attend. A music room can take a little theatrical confidence; a hallway can borrow the anticipation of arriving at the venue.

Build a wall with a sense of occasion

Two posters needn’t advertise the same art form to work together. A jazz concert and a masked ball might share a lively palette or a similar treatment of lettering. A quieter dance image can give a dense film composition space around it. Compare the images at the intended size, especially when the performer’s name is the detail you most want to read.

For floating women, devils and extravagant promises, continue to vintage magic posters. To follow the commercial artists beyond the stage, explore Advertising & Brands.