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Maître Nicolas CONSTANTY

396 - Yvan Chermayeff (1932-2017) - Upstairs, Downstairs. 1980. 11…
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Estimate €20 - €30
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Description
Yvan Chermayeff (1932-2017) - Upstairs, Downstairs. 1980. 117x76.5cm. Original offset printed poster. Not backed. Condition A+, perfect state of conservation. The Upstairs, Downstairs poster is a perfect illustration of Ivan Chermayeff's conceptual style. The Upstairs, Downstairs poster by Ivan Chermayeff is an interesting example of the cultural graphic design of the 1970s, linked to the promotion of a British television series that became very popular. The series, broadcast from 1971, tells the story of the lives of an aristocratic family and their servants in an early 20thᵉ century London house. The title refers to the two worlds that co-exist in the house: 'Upstairs' → the wealthy family living on the upper floor, 'Downstairs' → the servants working and living in the basement. The poster designed by Chermayeff is based on a simple, symbolic visual principle typical of his work: the image is divided into two parts to represent the two social worlds; The composition plays on the vertical hierarchy (top/bottom) to illustrate the separation of classes; This type of composition reflects the approach of the Chermayeff & Geismar studio, known for its clear, conceptual and immediately understandable images. This approach can also be seen in the visual identities and logos created by the studio for major institutions and companies. The designer of our poster, Yvan Chermayeff, was born in London in 1932 and emigrated with his family to the United States in the 1940s. His creativity was strongly influenced by his father, the architect Serge Chermayeff, who hails from Chechnya. In 1957, after studying at Harvard University, the Chicago Institute of Design and Yale University, he co-founded the New York-based design-graphics firm Chermayeff Geismar with Tom Geismar. President of the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) from 1963 to 1966. Director of MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) from 1965 to 1986. Member of the Board of IDCA (International Design Conference in Aspen) from 1968 to 1999. Member of the Board of Directors of the Municipal Art Society of New York from 1972 to 1976. Member of the AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale) since 1978. Member of the Board of Trustees of the Smithsonian Institution from 1988 to 1996. Inducted into the ADC New York (Art Directors Club) Hall of Fame in 1982. Trustee of the Archives of America Art from 1987 to 1990. Royal Designer for Industry since 1992. He has received numerous awards, including the Industrial Arts Medal of the AIA (American Institute of Architects) in 1967, the Philade
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About the sale Collection of an ink merchant, sale of posters n°17 and miscellaneous.
Auction location
Auction time 06/12/2026 at 1:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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