Kunstschau 1908

Bertold Löffler made this poster for the 1908 Kunstschau exhibition and its clear, flat colours, and bold outlines, feel really modern. The palette is simple: creamy white, sunny yellow, deep blue, and a dash of coral for the lips, all pulled together with graphic black lines. I love the way Löffler uses these flat blocks of colour to create depth and form. Look at the woman’s hair, those yellow waves are so stylised and patterned, each strand carefully outlined. It reminds me of how we try to simplify things in our own work, to get to the essence of a form. Then there are the crosses dotted on her shoulder, which are like stars in a night sky. Each element is so carefully placed, making the piece feel perfectly balanced. This piece reminds me of the work of someone like Gustav Klimt, who was also working in Vienna at the time, but Löffler has a totally different approach, leaning into simplicity rather than opulent decoration. It’s amazing to see how artists play with ideas, twisting and turning them into something completely their own.