In
1900, street décor was both more homogenous and more congested
than it is today.
The abundance of signs and advertising messages were the consequence of
poor management by public authorities in regulating the urban landscape.
The homogeneity of street graphic design can be explained by the fact
that signs and advertising messages were not yet industrially produced.
As a result, small shop owners often chose standard typography models
offered by sign painters, in order to save money. In addition, materials
like plastic, which allow for a large variety of forms and colors, did
not exist at that time.
Standard
Typography Signs
Shown
in this 1865 photograph by Charles Marville, this typography, in vogue
since the Second Empire, disappeared after World War I.
Food
and Drink Store Signs
Wine
and Liquor Stores
During
this time period, these ubiquitous stores were identified by signs painted
on an ochre background. Indeed, the sign painters tried to respect a color
code (background and lettering) to make it easier to distinguish between
different types of shops: ochre background for wine shops, blue background
for groceries, for example.
Food
Stores
"A. Charpentier
- Marée Primeurs unreadable" Sea food store sign,
located in the 'Les Halles' neighborhood, former central market of Paris.
Potatoes reseller
signs
Services
Graveur
Sellerie
Mysterious
Signs
Despite my
efforts, I have not been able to decrypt these signs.
