Pectoraux à la cerise d'Ayer
1890 - 1907
Edward Penfield brings a touch of whimsical humor to early advertising with this charming Art Nouveau poster for Ayer's Cherry Pectoral. Instead of humans, we see a trio of anthropomorphic bears dealing with a nasty cold: a shivering patient wrapped in a checkered blanket, a bespectacled doctor bear wielding a cane, and a nurse bear holding the cure. The nurse's apron delivers a delightfully circular piece of medical advice, declaring, 'There's nothing so bad for a Cough as Coughing.' Created around the turn of the 20th century, Penfield's bold, flat colors and clean lines helped define the golden age of American poster art, proving that even patent medicine sellers had a sense of humor.
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