From Ukrainian Origins to Parisian Genius (1901-1922)

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Birth of a Future Graphic Design Master

Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron was born in Kharkov (Ukraine) in 1901. This future master of modern poster art grew up in an expatriate French family before moving to Paris in 1915, where his artistic vocation began to flourish.

A French poster artist of international renown, theater decorator, lithographer, painter, and typeface creator, A.M.CASSANDRE established himself as one of the greatest graphic artists of the 20th century.

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A Revolutionary Style Synthesizing the Avant-Garde

An intimate friend of Balthus and Giorgio de Chirico, Cassandre developed a striking poster style that masterfully synthesized:

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• Italian Futurism

• Parisian Post-Cubism

• Emerging Surrealism

• Waning Art Nouveau​

This unique fusion of European artistic movements forged the visual identity of modernity.

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The Golden Age of Advertising Posters (1923-1935)

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Dubonnet: The Poster That Marked a Generation

The entire world knows the legendary trilogy "Dubo... Dubon... Dubonnet" which "made its mark" and became the emblem of an entire generation.

Revolutionary innovation: Based on the study of movement, this emblematic poster represents a stylized character progressively "penetrated" by the aperitif, creating the first advertising animation in history.

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Nicolas: Master of Visual Ambiguity

The Nicolas (wines) poster perfectly illustrates Cassandre's genius: a bottle that simultaneously transforms into a soldier and cap, demonstrating his mastery of graphic ambiguity and visual double meaning.

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Major Typographic Innovation: Revolutionary Typefaces

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Creator of Alphabets for Modernity

A visionary typographic alphabet creator, Cassandre offered his revolutionary creations to his friend Charles Peignot, founder of printing typefaces, beginning in 1929:

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Cassandre's Emblematic Typefaces:

• Bifur (1929): Futuristic alphabet with refined geometric forms

• Acier (1930): Industrial typeface reflecting the modern spirit

• Peignot (1937): International success and major contribution to modern typography

• Métope (1968): His ultimate typographic creation

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L'Alliance Graphique: Laboratory of French Excellence

Cassandre co-directed with Maurice Moyrand the agency "L'Alliance Graphique," from which emerged the finest French posters of the era.

Pedagogical innovation: From 1934 to 1935, he founded and directed an art and graphic design school, training the new generation of creators.

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Master of Theatrical Scenography (1933-1959)

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A Passion More Enduring Than Poster Art

Little-known fact: Cassandre devoted more years to theater than to poster making, revealing the depth of his talent as a scenic decorator.

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Prestigious Collaborations

Remarkable Theatrical Debuts (1933-1934)

• 1933: First set design for Louis Jouvet - Amphitryon 38 by Giraudoux

• 1934: Set design for Serge Lifar's ballet Aubade, music by Francis Poulenc

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The Aix-en-Provence Flourishing (1941-1959)

18 years of theatrical creation: From 1941 to 1959, Cassandre designed sets and costumes for fourteen productions, establishing his reputation as an exceptional scenographer.

Major architectural project: In 1949, he designed the open-air theater for the Aix-en-Provence Festival, testament to his architectural genius.

Scenographic masterpiece: His sets and costumes for Mozart's Don Giovanni (1949) were used for 25 years, the consecration of his theatrical art.

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Testimonials and Artistic Recognition

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Savignac's Perspective on the Master

Raymond Savignac, disciple and admirer, offers this revealing testimony about Cassandre's personality:

"Because he hated being told: 'What you're asking for is impossible,' he was determined to learn as much as possible from every small job he did. Yet he never showed arrogance when he was able to demonstrate that his request was quite possible; he was simply happy to be able to prove it because he knew it would make a great difference in his production."

This quote reveals the perfectionist standards that characterized the master of graphic design.

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The Perpetuated Legacy: Henri Mouron, Guardian of the Work

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Familial Transmission of Excellence

Henri Mouron, Cassandre's only son, dedicates his life to making his father's complete creations known to the public. He perpetuates the paternal work with the same spirit of perfection that animated the creator.

This patrimonial mission guarantees the preservation and dissemination of Cassandre's heritage for future generations of graphic designers.

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Why Does A.M.CASSANDRE Remain an Absolute Reference?

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Lasting Impact on Contemporary Design

• Precursor of modern graphic design

• Inventor of kinetic poster art (Dubonnet)

• Major typographic creator (Bifur, Acier, Peignot)

• Synthesizer of artistic avant-gardes

• Master of visual communication

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Persistent International Influence

Cassandre's work continues to inspire contemporary creators, establishing the visual codes of modernity that still resonate today in international graphic design.

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A.M.CASSANDRE: More than a name, a school of graphic thought that forever revolutionized the art of communicating through images.

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