Cottereau Dijon
Lithography on paper
Fernand Fernel, known to also sign his works as F. Cerckel and Ferdinand Fernandez, was a Belgian Art Nouveau painter, cartoonist, illustrator and poster designer whose favorite themes were automobiles, aviation, sports and the circus. He is known as one of the pioneers of the Belgian artistic poster and he worked with the main Parisian lithographic printing houses such as Devambez, Chaix, Vercasson, Cerf and Lemercier.
Here Fernel envisions a sporty cycling couple amicably passing by their more formally dressed seated counterparts in an automobile. Both modes of transportation were produced by Ateliers et Usines Cottereau et Cie in Dijon, France. Cottereau was only in operation from 1898 to 1910, and the company created sturdy, all-purpose bicycles and early automobiles.
Illustrated posters CERF, 45 Rue de Belleville, Paris
Lithographer A Gallice