italian exposition poster

Centenaire de la Découverte – Adolfo Hohenstein, Plate 160 – 1898

Adolfo Hohenstein (German/Italian, 1854–1928)
Centenaire de la Découverte, 1898

An original stone lithograph by Adolfo Hohenstein, issued as Plate 160 in Les Maîtres de l’Affiche, the celebrated monthly series published by Jules Chéret at Imprimerie Chaix, Paris, from 1895 to 1900. The series offered subscribers four numbered plates each month, reproducing the finest poster designs of the Belle Époque in reduced format.

This design was created for the Milan publishing and music house G. Ricordi & C., marking the Centenary of the Discovery. Hohenstein, a leading figure of the Italian Art Nouveau movement, was central to Ricordi’s poster output. His elegant composition, fluid line, and distinctive decorative style make this plate a strong example of his work during his most influential period.

Details
Original stone lithograph on wove paper
Printed by Imprimerie Chaix, Paris
From Les Maîtres de l’Affiche, Plate 160 (1898)
Sheet size: approximately 40 × 29 cm / 15.75 × 11.4 in.
Condition: Excellent; clean, crisp impression on full sheet

Comments
A beautifully preserved example by Hohenstein, reflecting his important role in the Ricordi studio and his contribution to Italian poster design at the end of the nineteenth century.