ADOLF KARPELLUS (1869-1919) KÜNSTLERHAUS XXXVI. JAHRESAUSSTELUNG. 1910.
24 1/2x18 inches, 61x45 3/4 cm. J. Weiner, Vienna.
Condition B+: replaced loss in lower right corner; minor restoration along vertical and horizontal folds; minor creases at edges.
Karpellus was a painter, illustrator and poster designer who studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and at the Academie Julian in Paris. It was during his time at the latter that he was introduced to the world of French poster art. When he returned to Austria, he became one of the preeminent and most prolific Austrian poster artists in the field. As such, in 1905 he was accepted into the prestigious "Society of Fine Artists in Austria," (Gesellschaft Bildender Künstler Österreichs - Künstlerhaus) and that same year, the organization held an exhibition of his posters. Between 1906 and 1910, Karpellus designed four different posters for exhibitions at the Künstlerhaus. Here, 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). Rare. We could find only one other copy at auction.