William H. Bradley
American (1868-1962)
Thanksgiving No. from The Chap-Book, 1895
lithograph
Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington

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With its whiplash curves, silhouetted figures, and broad areas of black, this lithograph for a Chicago magazine called The Chap-Book bears similarities to the work of English illustrator Aubrey Beardsley. It's the creation of the self-taught artist William H. Bradley, who launched the poster craze in America, making Art Nouveau the style of the street. Although influenced by Beardsley, as well as by Japanese prints, Bradley developed his own style of sweeping, dynamic figures that dominate the page.

Like French poster designer Jules Chéret, Bradley was inspired by the whirling dancer Loïe Fuller. He saw her perform in 1893.

Bradley began his career in Chicago designing for magazines and in 1894 moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he established his own publishing company.