At the end of the 19th century there was an enormous rebirth of interest in the decorative arts, sparked off by the work of Eugene Grasset and Alponse Mucha. Along with his art, the lithographs by Paul Berthon stand at the center of Art Nouveau with grace and beauty.

Berthon was a painter, lithographer, commercial artist of magazine covers and a designer of furniture and ceramics. He studied as a painter in Villefranche before coming to Paris in 1893.

He continued to study in Paris under academic instructors but his greatest influence was that of Eugene Grasset, the instructor of Decorative Arts.

Berthon's early graphic works show a style similar to that of Grasset. Later as Berthon grew as a mature artist, he began using a pastel colored palette, strongly defined patterns, with a Japanese influence that made him so famous.

Paul Berthon died at the young age of 37 but he will always be remembered for his great contribution to the Art Nouveau movement he help to promote.