Austria 1899

Alphonse Mucha made this poster for Austria's exhibition at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900. It’s printed on paper in shades of gold, brown and red. The poster embodies the concept of the nation as an idealized woman, a common trope in European national branding. The Art Nouveau style employs flowing lines and decorative patterns to create an image intended to promote the power of the Austrian state. The inclusion of specific buildings such as the Wiener Restaurant and the Oesterreich Reichshaus served to emphasize Austria's cultural achievements. We might ask, what is the relationship between promoting a national image and showcasing its architecture? Historians examine such posters in the context of turn-of-the-century European nationalism, using archives of popular print and exhibition ephemera. The meaning of such art lies in its historical contingency, an expression of Austria’s sense of itself.