Émile Berchmans for La Meuse “Buy the flower of discreet help” Art Nouveau lithograph poster, 1916

“Buy the Flower of Discreet Help“

Color lithographed poster created by émile Berchmans and printed by the La Meuse workshop, Liège, in 1916.

The Art Nouveau composition depicts a draped female figure holding a basket of flowers, a symbol of solidarity, accompanied by a text calling for the purchase of the “Flower of Discreet Help,“ a charity sale held on September 3 and 4, 1916.

Bears a blue “GLE“ or “GLF“ stamp on the right (see photo).

Perfect condition, no holes or creases.

Biography:

émile Berchmans was a Belgian painter, poster artist, and illustrator born in Liège in 1867 and died in 1947. Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Liège, he quickly established himself as one of the leading decorative artists of his generation. Active in the fields of posters, illustration, and decorative painting, he participated in the graphic renewal of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Belgium, in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements. His posters, often intended for cultural, industrial, or charitable events, are distinguished by clear compositions, bright blocks of color, and an elegant depiction of female figures, emblematic of his style.

His works were regularly printed by Liège workshops, including the La Meuse workshop, contributing to the widespread dissemination of his graphic language. Today, émile Berchmans is recognized as a leading figure in poster and graphic design in Wallonia at the turn of the century.