DESIGNER UNKNOWN WEBER'S CARLSBADER. Circa 1898. 35x23 1/2 inches, 89x60 cm. C. T. Whiskott, Breslau. Condition B+ / B: repaired tears, abrasions and creases in margins and image; restoration and overpainting in margins, some affecting image. Otto Weber was a purveyor of teas and coffees, exporting his goods all over the world, and supplying coffee to the German army. This poster is an unabashed ode to Alphonse Mucha's seminal 1896 poster for Job rolling papers. From the mosaic background, to the elaborate hair of the young woman drinking coffee, the elegant and stylized steam wafting off her cup, her intricate, flowing hair, and the purple and gold color scheme, this anonymous artist faithfully employs Mucha's most recognizable artistic devices. The plagiarism is a tribute to power of effective posters in turn-of-the-century Europe and Mucha's artistic influence all over Europe.
