Art in the street: illustrated posters on show at the Musée d'Orsay

At the beginning of the 19th century, French society underwent major changes: this evolution is particularly evident in art, and in the art forms that developed during this period. The Musée d'Orsay and the Bibliothèque nationale de France invite you to discover the L'art est dans la rue exhibition, from March 18 to July 6, 2025.

This major exhibition brings together numerous masterpieces that tell the story of the evolution of the illustrated poster. These posters, installed on walls, hoardings, kiosks, Morris columns, public transport, and even on "sandwich men", bear witness to the great revolutions that have affected the art world, but also French society, its dynamics, its cities... Through photographs, drawings, prints, paintings and - of course - posters, visitors plunge into an era of transitions.

Is the poster a work of art or a testimony to the past? Yes, that's exactly what this exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay shows. Designed to be seen by as many people as possible, these posters reveal a wealth of important information about the past.

The exhibition evokes the evolution of cities and urban uses.Architecture and public space planning are evolving, and these posters have come to conquer these new, creative spaces.

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Posters can convey many different messages. Advertisements show the beginnings of a new consumer society, the desires and needs of this new modern world. They show the dreams, fantasies and realities of the times, the novelties and technical advances at the service of the population, the marketing strategies of the time...

These works, displayed in the street, also served as a means of expression for everyone: political and social demands, propaganda or questioning power... These posters were designed to capture the attention of the general public and broaden the debate to include as many people as possible. The street is a space for speech, a great forum where every wall can serve as a platform.

These posters soon attracted major artists, who took advantage of this new creative tool to invent a unique genre. Some became famous thanks to posters, such as Alphonse Mucha, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Eugène Grasset, Théophile Alexandre Steinlen... Posters then became paintings like any others, to be collected, sold and bought.

Symbols of"art for all", the posters represent a whole era and a specific art form, which will be on display at the Musée d'Orsay from spring 2025.