PETER BIRKHAUSER (1911-1976) RHEINBRUCKE. Circa 1942. Gouache maquette. 50 1/4x35 1/2 inches. Condition B+: pinholes in corners; minor foxing in image. Paper. Birkhauser studied at the Arts Decorative School in Basel, and apprenticed in the studio of Nicklaus Stoecklin, before setting out on his own as a poster designer. In 1934 he designed a poster for PKZ (featuring a large button) that became famous and earned him a deserved and lasting legacy within the poster world. His best designs are meticulous reflections of the Swiss school of "New Objectivity," realistically detailed and precisely rendered in the manner he had been taught by Stoecklin. This original maquette highlights his style of floating realistically-depicted items against a light-toned background, with low key typography, and emphasizes the artists meticulous talent. Realisme 83 (var).
