"Kassama" Corn Flour
Poster
1894 (made)
1894 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This was the first of The Beggarstaffs' posters to be reproduced as a lithograph. This poster is a lithograph printed in three colours. A lithograph is a picture made by printing from a flat surface (traditionally stone, now often a metal plate), on which the artist draws or paints the original design with a greasy substance like chalk. The surface is next prepared, moistened and inked; the greasy printing ink adheres to the design, which is then printed onto a sheet of paper.
Subjects Depicted
For this poster The Beggarstaffs (brothers-in-law James Pryde and William Newzam Prior Nicholson) designed the image of a girl with a basket of groceries. There is no reference to the product being advertised except for the lettering. The Beggarstaffs insisted on retaining artistic control over their designs refusing to include reference to the product being advertised.
Design & Designing
The Beggarstaffs collaborated together between 1894 and 1899 and designed their posters using the collage technique and stencilling. The text was created using scissors, which allowed for careful placement of the lettering in the design; this became a characteristic of their later posters. The use of a single dramatic image and of broad areas of flat colour is typical of their work. The background is the same colour as the girl's hair and basket, allowing the areas of text and image to merge into a unified scheme. The large area of yellow in this poster, unusual compared to The Beggarstaffs' preferred sombre colour schemes, would have distinguished this poster from surrounding advertisements.
This was the first of The Beggarstaffs' posters to be reproduced as a lithograph. This poster is a lithograph printed in three colours. A lithograph is a picture made by printing from a flat surface (traditionally stone, now often a metal plate), on which the artist draws or paints the original design with a greasy substance like chalk. The surface is next prepared, moistened and inked; the greasy printing ink adheres to the design, which is then printed onto a sheet of paper.
Subjects Depicted
For this poster The Beggarstaffs (brothers-in-law James Pryde and William Newzam Prior Nicholson) designed the image of a girl with a basket of groceries. There is no reference to the product being advertised except for the lettering. The Beggarstaffs insisted on retaining artistic control over their designs refusing to include reference to the product being advertised.
Design & Designing
The Beggarstaffs collaborated together between 1894 and 1899 and designed their posters using the collage technique and stencilling. The text was created using scissors, which allowed for careful placement of the lettering in the design; this became a characteristic of their later posters. The use of a single dramatic image and of broad areas of flat colour is typical of their work. The background is the same colour as the girl's hair and basket, allowing the areas of text and image to merge into a unified scheme. The large area of yellow in this poster, unusual compared to The Beggarstaffs' preferred sombre colour schemes, would have distinguished this poster from surrounding advertisements.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | "Kassama" Corn Flour |
| Materials and techniques | Colour lithograph from stencilled collage, inks on paper |
| Brief description | '"Kassama" Corn Flour'; Poster depicting a girl wearing black carrying a basket; Colour lithograph from stencilled collage; Designed by the Beggarstaff Brothers; Printed by Henderson Co.; London; 1894. |
| Physical description | '"Kassama" Corn Flour'; Poster depicting a girl wearing black carrying a basket, set into a yellow and beige background; Signed. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
KASSAMA FLOUR
1894
The design partnership known as The Beggarstaffs used stencils to create their posters. Their work often features a single dramatic image composed of areas of flat colour. Here, they used an unusually bright background, the same colour as the girl’s hair and basket, to unify the scheme.
Colour lithograph, inks on paper
Designed by The Beggarstaffs, a partnership between James Ferrier Pryde (born in Edinburgh, 1866, died in London, 1941) and Sir William Newzam Prior Nicholson (born in Newark-upon-Trent, Nottinghamshire, 1872, died in Blewbury, Berkshire, 1949); printed by Henderson & Co., London
Museum no. E.2414-1938(12/2012) |
| Credit line | © Desmond Banks |
| Object history | Designed by The Beggarstaffs, a partnership between James Ferrier Pryde (born in Edinburgh, 1866, died in London, 1941) and Sir William Newzam Prior Nicholson (born in Newark-upon-Trent, Nottinghamshire, 1872, died in Blewbury, Berkshire, 1949) |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type This was the first of The Beggarstaffs' posters to be reproduced as a lithograph. This poster is a lithograph printed in three colours. A lithograph is a picture made by printing from a flat surface (traditionally stone, now often a metal plate), on which the artist draws or paints the original design with a greasy substance like chalk. The surface is next prepared, moistened and inked; the greasy printing ink adheres to the design, which is then printed onto a sheet of paper. Subjects Depicted For this poster The Beggarstaffs (brothers-in-law James Pryde and William Newzam Prior Nicholson) designed the image of a girl with a basket of groceries. There is no reference to the product being advertised except for the lettering. The Beggarstaffs insisted on retaining artistic control over their designs refusing to include reference to the product being advertised. Design & Designing The Beggarstaffs collaborated together between 1894 and 1899 and designed their posters using the collage technique and stencilling. The text was created using scissors, which allowed for careful placement of the lettering in the design; this became a characteristic of their later posters. The use of a single dramatic image and of broad areas of flat colour is typical of their work. The background is the same colour as the girl's hair and basket, allowing the areas of text and image to merge into a unified scheme. The large area of yellow in this poster, unusual compared to The Beggarstaffs' preferred sombre colour schemes, would have distinguished this poster from surrounding advertisements. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | 4/A4 - V&A microfiche |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.2414-1938 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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