Lot 63: BLANCHE MCMANUS (1870 - ?) LEGENDS OF THE RHINE. 1895.

20 1/2x15 1/4 inches.
Condition A-: minor losses and repaired tears at edges.
Born in Louisiana, McManus studied in Paris before returning to America, where her brief poster career flourished. Eight posters are attributed to her and she is considered one of the best female designers of the era (along with Florence Lundborg, Ethel Reed and Alice Glenny). Shortly after the turn-of-the-century she returned to Paris and worked as a book illustrator. She wrote and illustrated at least one book of her own, The True Mother Goose, (and created a poster for it), as well as authoring The American Woman Abroad and Our French Cousins. "Her posters are boldly conceived, with a sure sense of the well-drawn line and a controlled use of contrasting color to create a positive and negative image" (Kiehl p. 189) DFP I 303, Margolin p. 159, Keay p. 75, not in Kiehl.