Mucha volunteered to produce a lithographed poster within two weeks , and on 1 January 1895 , the advertisement for the play Gismonda by Victorien Sardou appeared on the streets of the city . Mucha volunteered to produce a lithographed poster within two weeks , and on 1 January 1895 , the advertisement for the play Gismonda by Victorien Sardou was posted in the city , it attracted much attention .