HANS RUDI ERDT (1883-1918) MANOLI. Circa 1911. 34x22 1/2 inches. Hollerbaum & Schmidt, Berlin. Condition B+: restoration and restored losses in top,bottom and right margins. Hans Rudi Erdt, who settled in Berlin in 1908, was a prolific poster artist who was certainly one of the best graphic designers of his day. He was one of the many prominent artists (including Lucian Bernhard) who designed advertisements for Manoli Cigarettes. Under the direction of its founder, Julius Mandelbaum, Manoli quickly became one of the major cigarette brands in Germany. Erdt was commissioned to do two posters for Manoli in 1911. Here, the name on the top is in bold letters against a black background; for the rest, out of a red background, Erdt constructs the elegant uniform jacket of the groom, whose tray is filled with a whole selection of Manoli products. A bold and colorful image. ref: Die Kunst zu werben<>, Munchen Stadtmuseum, Dumont 1996, p.155, no. 3.2.29, Masters of German Poster Art<>, by Hellmut Rademacher, October House, New York, 1966, p. 75 (var).
