ADOLF KARPELLUS (1869-1919) KÜNSTLERHAUS. 1910. 24 5/8x17 7/8 inches, 62 1/2x45 1/2 cm. K. Hofl. J. Weiner, Vienna. Condition A: vertical and horizontal folds. Karpellus studied art in both Paris and Vienna, and is primarily known as a painter. However, his studies at Paris' Academie Julian introduced him to the world of French poster art. When he returned to Austria he was one of the first specialists in that field. In 1905, a show of his posters was held at the Wiener Künstlerhaus, an artistic organization based in an eponymous building on Vienna's Ringstrasse. Artists breaking away from the Künstlerhaus in 1897 went on to form the Secession movement. Karpellus, who was also a member of the organization, designed at least two posters for subsequent exhibitions at the Künstlerhaus, in 1907 and 1910. His classical, mythological figure, set against the Vienna skyline, seems to suggest a crowning of a victor in this year's show. Denscher contends that Karpellus, and Alois Hans Schram (who also designed posters for the exhibition over the years) were instrumental in "the emergence of modern poster art in Austria" (Denscher p 40). This is the rarer of the two posters Karpellus designed for the Künstlerhaus.
