Description
Motorcycle “Griffon” 1904
Oilpainting on canvas.
Contemporary artwork after F.Hugo d`Alesi (1849-1906)
Dimensions of the image:
99cm x 168cm / 39 x 66 Inches
Dimensions including frame 108cm x 178cm / 42.5 x 70 Inches
Hugo d`Alesi was born in Rumania. Once in France, he became an immensely popular and prolific artist in the 1880s and 1890s. He was also an exacting artist, “notorious for having ruined several printers, not hesitating to ask for one or two extra color printings in order to obtain exactly the shading he wanted”
He is also often credited as the “inventor of the ‘landscape poster’typical of the first period in poster design”
And though not promoting a tourist destination in this Griffon motorbike poster, he certainly brings his love of the panoramic sweep to the design, an ideal promotional thrust for those looking to get away from the confinement of the daily grind.
This poster was made for the 2 3/4 HP Griffon single cylinder side valve model which had battery-coil ignition, direct belt drive to the rear wheel, unsprung front forks and pedal gear to aim starting and hill climbing.
This Griffon motorcycle can be seen as the archetype of European motorcycle
manufacturing.