Cycles Gladiator – Blue Text

This now famous Cycles Gladiator poster is acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest posters. It was created in 1895. The poster features a naked, flame-haired goddess with long flowing locks blowing about in the dark, starry sky. She appears to be flying through the air, transporting the bicycle to its destination. The Gladiator cycle is shown with winged pedals,  presumably to suggest that the bicycle will speed the rider quickly on their way.

Gladiator Cycles was founded in 1891 by Alexandre Darracq and Paul Aucoq . It was a French bicycle manufacturer located northeast of Paris in Le Pre-Saint-Gervais, Seine. This poster a beautiful piece of cycling history that looks wonderful framed and mounted on a wall. Strangely, the artist is not known but this Cycles Gladiator poster was produced by printer G. Massias of Paris.

Only four of the originals are known to still exist today. An original sold for $31,200 in 2012.

Update: An online article on the antiques and the arts website released on article on March 23, 2021. It tells about the up to date sale of an original copy of this poster. It writes, (the poster is  “Considered a lithographic masterpiece and acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest posters, this image of a flame-tressed sylph, propelled among the stars by the Gladiator and its winged pedals is by an anonymous artist. Circa 1895, it raced to $43,200.” Selling through Poster Auctions International. Phenomenal!

Our posters are carefully and professionally created from vintage originals. Whilst great care is taken in the production of these posters, we also try to maintain a vintage feel, so there may be small imperfections, fold marks, scuffs, tears or marks that were part of the original poster master. If these do appear they should be visible on the larger views of the item on this listing. The originals of many of the posters we offer can cost many thousands of pounds, so whilst these posters look great, especially framed and mounted on a wall, they are intended as a fun, affordable reproductions and not intended fine art prints.

The 50x70cm version has been specially produced to be used in conjunction with Ikea’s 50x70cm Ribba picture frame which currently retails for around £12. So you can bag a print and frame for a great price.