Feb 20 at 10:30 AM - Sale 2695 -

Sale 2695 - Lot 301

Estimate: $ 6,000 - $ 9,000

FRANZ LENHART (1898-1992)

MODIANO. 1935.

54¾x38¾ inches, 139x98½ cm. Grafiche Modiano, Trieste.
Condition A-: minor restoration in text; minor creases and abrasions in image. framed.

An art student in Vienna and Florence, Lenhart ultimately settled in Merano, where he lived for the rest of his life. A painter, portraitist and illustrator, Lenhart also designed over 70 posters, the majority of which were travel-related. The scenes in his travel posters are filled with attractive, stylish women in stunning Art Deco leisure and sport attire. Although he designed very few product advertising pieces, it seems he was able to seamlessly recreate his ideal woman here.

Saul Modiano opened his first rolling paper factory in Trieste in 1889. After the First World War he opened another factory in Hungary and soon became the leader in the market. He was very particular about his advertising and employed many of the best artists to promote his product. Posters for the company were designed by such luminaries as Róbert Berény, Aladar Richter, Seneca and Sándor Bortnyik, all of whom created strong, masculine, stylish and modernist images. This poster by Lenhart is a spectacular exception, not only being one of the few (if not the only) to show a lady, but such a mysterious beauty at that, with movie star appeal and nonchalance. It is as if she is ignoring the viewer to concentrate on her cigarette. Lenhart uses flat green and black to build the image which emerges out of the background. The poster, with its prominent white typography, is as efficient as it is captivating.

Lenhart 76, Crouse p. 218, Manifesti 124.
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