LUDWIG HOHLWEIN (1874-1949) MARINE-KONZERT. 1916. 38 1/2x30 3/4 inches, 98x78 cm. Fritz Maison, Munich. Condition B+: repaired tears and restoration in margins, some affecting image and text; creases in margins and image. During WWI and WWII, Ludwig Hohlwein produced several posters for fundraising and propaganda purposes. Marine-Konzert was designed in 1916 to promote the Navy League of German Women's benefit concert for the bereaved families of the Imperial Navy. The battleship depicted is most likely the Pommern, a Deutschland class battleship that was torpedoed and sunk during the battle of Jutland on June 1, 1916. While it is likely that Hohlwein was working from a photograph, he maintains the artistic integrity of the image by masterfully playing with the patterns of light and shadow across the ship. One of Hohlwein's recognizable design traits was to create a sense of depth in his posters through the clever placement of tonal values. The provocative and creative use of these bold and unusual colors infuses the work with proud and powerful feelings that elevates the image from the mundane. Subtle color gradients in the battleship and sky are evocative of Hohlwein's skill as a watercolorist and provide textural interest to the design. This poster also features the distinctive hand lettering that is a hallmark of Hohlwein's work, rendered in a stylized sans-serif font. Originally trained as an architect, Hohlwein skillfully depicts the masts, rigging and armaments through an effective use of shadows. Another variation of the poster exists with additional text at the bottom giving event dates and entry price. Hohlwein Munich, 200.
