HANS RUDI ERDT (1883-1918) MÜNCHNER KINDL KELLER. 1913. 43 3/4x35 1/4 inches, 111x89 1/2 cm. Hollerbaum & Schmidt, Berlin. Condition B+ / B: repaired tears, restoration and discoloration at edges; minor restorationin image and along vertical and horizontal folds. Hans Rudi Erdt was one of the most prolific poster artists in Berlin at the beginning of the 20th century. He studied art in Munich and then moved to Berlin. He worked at the printer Hollerbaum & Schmidt with the "dream team," which consisted of Lucian Bernhardt, Julius Klinger and Julius Gipkens. His designs, punctuated by flat colors and strong outlines, reflect his talent as a draughtsman, along with a great sense of stylization and a flair for layout. He produced posters for a wide variety of clients, including many in Munich and Berlin who were among the most prestigious upper-class bars and restaurants. Constructed in 1880, The Munich Kindl-Keller was Munich's largest beer hall and could accomodate up to five thousand people. Here, in the year prior to the start of the First World War, advertising an elegant, bi-weekly ball, one can see the nascent Art Deco style beginning to appear. DFP-III 832, Kunst p. 19 and 123.
