Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a poster by the Impressionist artist London Printing Alliance Ltd.. It dates from 1899 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The snowman’s costume looks like it’s made of fluffy white paint, giving it a soft, almost melting look.
This poster shows a person dressed as a giant snowman with a top hat and arms wide open. The background is dark with a few red berries on a branch. Big red letters spell out "Lyceum" at the top and "The Snowman" at the bottom.
The snowman’s costume looks like it’s made of fluffy white paint, giving it a soft, almost melting look. The poster was made in 1899 to advertise a show.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more posters like this.
Overview
This 1899 poster, produced by the London Printing Alliance Ltd., was created to promote a Christmas pantomime at the Lyceum Theatre on London’s Strand. The advertisement adapts a French original by the playwrights Chivot and Vanloo, and the visual design later became associated with a production titled The Snowman.
Subject & Meaning
The central image features a figure dressed as an oversized snowman, complete with a top hat and outstretched arms, suggesting a festive, welcoming presence. A dark backdrop punctuated by a branch bearing red berries frames the figure, reinforcing the seasonal theme.
Technique & Style
The snowman’s costume is rendered in a fluffy white paint that conveys a soft, almost melting texture, while bold red lettering spells “Lyceum” at the top and “The Snowman” at the bottom, creating a striking visual hierarchy typical of turn‑of‑the‑century theatrical posters.
History & Provenance
Adapted by Arthur Sturgess from the French source material, the poster was printed for the 1899 Christmas season. It remains part of the London Printing Alliance Ltd.’s output and is now held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it is catalogued among other period theatrical ephemera.
Context
The Lyceum Theatre was a prominent venue for pantomime, a popular form of family entertainment during the Victorian holiday period. The poster’s design reflects the era’s commercial graphic conventions, combining illustrative imagery with clear typographic emphasis to attract audiences.
Artist & collection
Artist
They made posters in London around 1899. One piece, Untitled, is a color lithograph printed in black, red, green, and yellow. The design shows a woman in a flowing gown holding a fan, framed by ornate borders. Look for…
