Wilh. Messling, Ostenhellweg 13 Fernr. 2910 1913

Editor: Here we have a poster from 1913 titled "Wilh. Messling, Ostenhellweg 13 Fernr. 2910," by Carl Kunze. The imagery is quite striking, particularly with the bold typography and the image of the hat and gloves. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: I'm drawn to how this poster marries Art Nouveau aesthetics with commercial function. Let's consider the materials. It's a poster, presumably mass-produced, shifting art from elite spaces to the everyday. How does the artist use graphic art and typography to highlight this tension? Editor: I see the tension in the font itself – it’s decorative, but very clear, so it balances artistry and conveying information. Curator: Precisely. The image – hat, gloves, cane – suggests bourgeois aspirations, items made and consumed. And the stylized rendering, typical of Art Nouveau, elevates these commodities. Kunze is drawing attention to the methods of making and also marketing consumer objects. The text "Graphische Kunstanstalt" at the bottom tells us this was produced at a graphics company – a site of industrial, reproducible design. What statement do you think it is making by focusing on these elements? Editor: It feels like it’s about the democratization of design and also revealing the means of production – showing how artistry blends with industry. It's not just selling a product, but celebrating the graphic artistry that supports its visibility. Curator: Exactly. And in that era of rapidly changing production, there is an intrinsic commentary on the material culture of early 20th century. The commercial intersects with the artistic in an era defined by the increasing means of reproducing design. Editor: That's fascinating, looking at the poster not just as a pretty image, but as a material document. Thank you!