Description
This exceptional 1900 William Bradley lithograph captures the peak of American Art Nouveau, when industrial design achieved true artistic transcendence. Created for Ault & Wiborg Company, this original represents one of twenty exceptional commissions Bradley executed for the Cincinnati ink manufacturer between 1897 and 1900—a series that remains one of the most coveted in American advertising history.
The composition breathes with romantic energy: a dancing couple floats above a floral arrangement in a garden, with baskets, birds, and shells, while abstract trees create an atmospheric backdrop. Bradley’s genius emerges in this layered storytelling—the figures embody grace and movement, the botanical elements showcase the brilliant color palette made possible by Ault & Wiborg’s advanced coal-tar dyes, and the overall composition demonstrates why the company could claim supremacy in the printing ink industry. Where competitors offered function, Ault & Wiborg offered artistry.
What further elevates this piece is Bradley’s remarkable stylistic range within the single A&W commission series. This particular design reflects his mastery of Beardsley-inspired Art Nouveau sensibility—flowing lines, organic forms, and decorative abundance. Yet contemporaneously, he was creating Arts and Crafts pieces in the Morris tradition and Colonial designs inspired by Ben Franklin’s printing legacy, all for the same client. This versatility made Bradley irreplaceable and his work invaluable.
The original measures 8.25″ x 12″ and is rendered as a lithograph letterpress in exceptional condition. Museum-quality archival linen backing and acid-free matting (16″ x 20″) preserve this piece for generations of collectors. Finding Bradley work from 1900 in this caliber is increasingly rare—this represents investment-grade printing history.
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