MONAIRE (DATES UNKNOWN) EXPOSICION CENTRO-AMERICANA DE GUATEMALA. 1897. 39x51 1/2 inches, 99x131 cm. Vieillemand & Ses Fils, Paris. Condition B+: restoration along sharp vertical folds; repaired tears in margins, some slightly affecting image. Japan. Guatemalan President Jose Maria Reina Barrios made sweeping changes in the structure of Guatemala City, building schools, churches and theatres along grand avenues in a style adapted from the Parisian model. He also helped introduce the new, more modern Guatemala to the rest of the world by hosting a Central American Exposition in Guatemala in 1897. He was assassinated the following year. Although printed in Paris, this rather large poster is a beautiful paean to the Latin American country, and can certainly be considered a rare example of South American Art Nouveau design. The image reflects good knowledge of the country, complete with its national bird (the resplendent Quetzal), views of the city, beautiful muses and a smoking volcano in the background. The five crests along the upper right margin may represent the five Republics of Central America that were invited to the Exposition.
