Feature Points
- VINTAGE PRINT REPRODUCTION: Historic reproduction of 1896 Harper's Christmas Magazine Poster. Printed on archival-grade paper that resists fading and discoloration for over 100 years. Perfect for home, office, or gallery display.
- PREMIUM GALLERY PAPER: Heavyweight fine art paper with non-reflective matte finish eliminates glare while delivering museum-grade appearance and lasting durability.
- PROFESSIONALLY RESTORED: Each image is digitally restored by our art specialists to remove age-related deterioration while preserving authentic historical details and character.
- BORDERLESS DESIGN: Artwork prints edge-to-edge for a seamless, gallery-ready appearance. Ships protected in rigid tube packaging to prevent damage and ensure perfect condition upon arrival.
- MADE IN USA: Our multi-step restoration process and quality control ensure each print meets professional standards. Every reproduction is individually inspected before shipping.
Additional Information
Dating from 1896, this elegant holiday poster portrays a fashionably dressed woman wearing a hat and muff on a wintry city street, advertising the Christmas issue of Harper's Magazine. Edward Penfield created the design during his most prolific period at Harper & Brothers, when his bold compositions were reshaping American graphic design.
Penfield's work for Harper's consistently depicted the newly emerging American middle class enjoying leisure and culture. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has noted that his figures - wealthy, well-appointed individuals - reflected the optimistic spirit of an era when rising prosperity brought literature, fashion, and travel within reach of a growing audience.
The mid-1890s represented the peak of America's poster craze, when Penfield's innovations inspired rival publishers including Scribner's, Lippincott, and the Century Company to commission their own artistic advertisements. Publisher's Weekly declared in 1894 that "the advertising poster has actually soared into the regions of art," and by 1895 American designs were being exhibited alongside European masters in Paris.
This reproduction showcases a defining work from the brief but transformative decade when American poster art flourished. Valued by collectors since its original appearance in bookshop windows over a century ago, Penfield's Harper's Christmas series endures as a cherished record of Gilded Age taste, style, and the enduring magic of the holiday season.
