PAI-LI: Rare Posters

Kleine Dada Soiree. 1922.

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Description

Artist: THEO VAN DOESBURG (1883-1931) & KURT SCHWITTERS (1887-1948)
Size: 11 3/4 x 11 3/4 in./29.7 x 29.7 cm
Condition: A/ P. Usual folds. Framed.
Printer:
Reference: Modern Poster, 84

Kleine Dada Soiree. 1922.
Kurt Schwitters and Theo van Doesburg spent “embarked on a tour of Holland to introduce Dada to the local artists and the public through lectures and performances. Van Doesburg’s pamphlet "Wat is Dada?" was for sale at the close of each stop. The poster for the Small Dada Evening includes the event program, which lists ragtime music by the composer Erik Satie, abstract poetry by Schwitters, and "Dadasofie" by Doesburg. The poster is decorated with multi-lingual slogans including: "Dada est contre le futur, Dada est mort, Dada est idiot, vive Dada!" ("Dada is against the future, Dada is dead, Dada is idiotic, Long live Dada!")” (MoMA wall plaque).

artist

THEO VAN DOESBURG (1883-1931) & KURT SCHWITTERS (1887-1948)

Sold $19,550

Excursions & Visites Dada / Premiere Visite. 1921.

Passed

Description

Artist: ANDRÉ BRETON (1896-1966) & TRISTAN TZARA (1896-1963)
Size: 8 5/8 x 10 7/8 in./21.3 x 127.7 cm
Condition: A/ Framed.
Printer:
Reference:

Excursions & Visites Dada / Premiere Visite. 1921.
The program from the first and only public gathering of the Dadaists. Under the guidance of Breton, it was advertised as a ‘tourist visit,’ a means of public provocation, giving a politically-charged ‘tour’ of the area. Noted as both ‘guides’ and ‘tourists’ were Crotti, Breton, Eluard, Ribemont-Dessaignes, Peret, Aragon, Tzara and Soupault. Members had predicted a much larger turnout; however, due to rain, few made an appearance. Despite that, this would turn out to be one of the defining moments in the movement, as, after reading a handfull of manifestos and performing a few skits, Breton shouted: "All that has happened up to now under the sign of Dada was just a sideshow." While this would seem to go along with the general chaos of Dadaism, it incited a split between the principle players in the group -- those who wished to follow the ego of Breton and others, such as Tzara and Picabia, who believed in a different type of Dada altogether. Overall, the event was considered to be a failure by both sides, and all subsequent pre-planned gatherings were canceled. This is an exceptionally rare leaflet.

artist

ANDRÉ BRETON (1896-1966) & TRISTAN TZARA (1896-1963)

Passed

Soirée du Coeur à Barbe. 1923.

Passed

Description

Artist: ILIA ZDANEVITCH (1894-1975)
Size: 7 3/4 x 10 in./19.6 x 25.4 cm
Condition: B+/ Folds show; slight restored tears at center fold & left edge. Framed.
Printer: Imp. Union, Paris
Reference:

Soirée du Coeur à Barbe. 1923.
This is the program for the second staging of Tristan Tzara’s Dadaist play, “Le Coeur à Barbe.”It was first staged two year prior at the Dada Salon in Paris. This later staging was much larger, coinciding with the presentation of the manifesto of the same name. Costumes were by Sonia Delaunay, who introduced Zdanevitch to the group. This performance was the final stroke in the separation between the two factions within Dadaism, with Picabia and Breton leaving to form Surrealism. It was not merely a philosophical divorce, however, as the two groups came to blows before the performance was over. The three-act play itself is an absurdist conversation between characters named after body parts (eg Mouth, Nose, etc.), wherein they each insert their own body-names into popular phrases, metaphors, and proverbs. A type of spastic ballet was also acted out in the production. It is generally considered to be the last artifact made by the original Dada collective.

artist

ILIA ZDANEVITCH (1894-1975)

Passed

Salle Bullier / Fete du Nuit à Montparnasse Bal Costumé. 1922.

Passed

Description

Artist: ANDRÉ LHOTE (1885-1962) & ILIA ZDANEVITCH (1894-1975)
Size: 38 7/8 x 54 1/8 in./98.8 x 137.5 cm
Condition: B/ Tears at edges; slight staining.
Printer: Imp. Engelmann, Paris
Reference:

Salle Bullier / Fete du Nuit à Montparnasse Bal Costumé. 1922.
During the 1920s, dozens upon dozens of artists’ charity balls took place in Europe. All of them included a cross-section of bohemia and its patrons, even though ‘bohemia’ was beginning to become rather wealthy itself. The Fête du Nuit in 1922 at the Bullier dancehall was one of the more explosive and wild costume balls of the season, complete with a star-studded cast of both characters and events. Presented in the form of an alphabet, the attractions included clowns, dancing, gymnasts, Hindus, fools, jazz, swimming, tournaments, Zanzibar, sports, and, of course, whiskey. Meanwhile, some of the guests were so important as to also be listed: Cocteau, Delaunay, Gris, Léger, Man Ray, Picasso, Picabia, Stravinsky, and Tzara, to name just a few. Even the Polish painter Moïse Kisling is pointed out as being the head bartender for the evening. Overall, this was one of the more historic parties, fully encompassing the unmatched artistic culture of Montmartre during that magical time.

artist

ANDRÉ LHOTE (1885-1962) & ILIA ZDANEVITCH (1894-1975)

Passed

De Stijl. c. 1921.

Passed

Description

Artist: THEO VAN DOESBURG (CHRISTIAN KÜPPER, 1883-1931)
Size: 6 1/8 x 14 5/8 in./15.5 x 37.2 cm
Condition: A/
Printer:
Reference:

De Stijl. c. 1921.
Founded by Van Doesburg in 1917, De Stijl was a Dutch group brought together by a common desire to rid art of Art Nouveau’s excess and return to a Utopian simplicity based around functionality. A magazine of the same title appeared a few months after the group was founded. It was redesigned in 1921 by Van Doesburg, resulting in the sans-serif typography seen here. The N.B. in red stands for “Nieuwe Beelding” (”new imagining”), the concept of which is most readily reflected in the fact that the typeface throughout the magazine was not particularly legible, but rather simply powerful on the eye. This is one of many similar posters printed to promote the publication.

artist

THEO VAN DOESBURG (CHRISTIAN KÜPPER, 1883-1931)

Passed

Ausstellung Emil Nolde. 1928.

Passed

Description

Artist: JAN TSCHICHOLD (1902-1974)
Size: 47 3/8 x 33 in./120.3 x 83.8 cm
Condition: A-/ Slight stains at tope paper edge & seam, tears top left.
Printer: Plakatdruckerei Volk & Schreiber
Reference:

Ausstellung Emil Nolde. 1928.
Tschichold is arguably one of the most influential typographic designers of the 20th century, leading the Modern movement toward all things sans-serif and asymmetrical. He created this two-sheet poster for a retrospective on the artist Emil Nolde in 1928, at the Graphisches Kabinett in Berlin. It was the second exhibition at this gallery for which Tschichold created a poster, the first being the now-famous Van Gogh exhibition two months prior. The art dealers behind the show were Israel Ber Neumann of New York, famous for working with Max Beckmann, and Günther Franke of Munich.

artist

JAN TSCHICHOLD (1902-1974)

Passed

Hamburgische Secession. 1920.

Passed

Description

Artist: OTTO FISCHER-TRACHAU (1878-1958)
Size: 14 1/4 x 19 in./36 x 48.3 cm
Condition: A-/ Unobtrusive slight tear at top text area, slight stain at right edge.
Printer:
Reference:

Hamburgische Secession. 1920.
One of the last secessionist groups to be formed, the Hamburg Secession consisted of about 55 members at its peak. Due to its late starting date, the optimism, if not enthusiasm, many of the Expressionists felt toward World War I had already been tainted by the reality of the battlefield; therefore, the Hamburg Secession was more macabre, more existential than many other avant-garde art societies already in existence. There also was no single agenda or manifesto within the group: the main goals were simply to present high quality work that reflected on the current social climate. Here, they are sponsoring a Sunday lecture by local writer Dr. Arthur Sakheim on experimental theater. Years later, on March 30, 1933, the last exhibition of the Hamburg Secession became the first art show closed by the Ministry of Propaganda under the Nazis.

artist

OTTO FISCHER-TRACHAU (1878-1958)

Passed

Grand Bal Travesti Trasmental. 1923.

Passed

Description

Artist: MIKHAIL LARIONOV (1881-1964)
Size: 10 7/8 x 8 3/4 in./27.7 x 22.3 cm
Condition: A-/ Restored tears at corners.
Printer:
Reference:

Grand Bal Travesti Trasmental. 1923.
In 1915, the avant-garde painter Mikhail Larionov and his lover Natalya Goncharova moved permanently from Russia into Western Europe, joining their friend Diaghilev, founder of the Ballets Russes. While they worked on both costumes and sets while living in Paris, they also contributed to various artists’ balls, the Grand Bal Travesti Transmental on February 23, 1923 being the most ambitious. On the schedule were no less than four dance bands, two bars serving food and cocktails, and various artistic ‘happenings.’ The purpose of this wild all-night party was to philanthropically benefit the Union des Artistes Russes, a artists’ group which helped Russian émigré artists of all media, including Sonia Delaunay, Léopold Survage, and Zdanevich. This is just one of many promotional items for the ball which the two artists created, this one done mostly by Larionov. Amongst those present at the party were Fernand Léger, Survage, Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, and Albert Gleizes, all of whom designed a mask which would be auctioned off to benefit the Union. The heavy influence of African tribal symbolism present in these masks is reflected in the figure on the left side of this poster.

artist

MIKHAIL LARIONOV (1881-1964)

Passed

Haagsche / Kunstkring. 1931.

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Description

Artist: PIETER ADRIANUS HENDRIK HOFMAN (1885-1965)
Size: 16 1/2 x 36 5/8 in./42 x 93 cm
Condition: TC/ TCTCTCTC
Printer: Lith. Lankhort, Denttaag
Reference: REF: P.A.H. Hofman, p. 25; Dutch Poster, 192

Haagsche / Kunstkring. 1931.
The Haagsche Kunstrkring (also spelled Haagse) was an avant-garde artists’ association in the Hague, founded by Théophile de Bock in 1891. P.A.H. Hofman created a few posters for its annual exhibitions, this being one of the more graphically compelling in the series. Here, in a poster comprised of only three colors, is the female profile in minimalist geometric form. Flanking either side of her head, in gold, are the initials of the exhibition, a visual reinforcement of the event advertised. The lettering is mildly reminiscent of Cassandre, especially in the split-color scheme and linear harmony. A fabulous bow to Modern Dutch poster art.

artist

PIETER ADRIANUS HENDRIK HOFMAN (1885-1965)

Sold $8,050

Transport Workers. 1931.

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Description

Artist: NIKOLAI ANDREEVICH DOLGORUKOV (1902-1980)
Size: 28 3/8 x 40 1/4 in./72 x 102.2 cm
Condition: B+/ Slight tears at edges.
Printer:
Reference: REF: Building the Collective, 84

Transport Workers. 1931.
Trained as an artist, Dolgorukov really started his career as a posterist in the early 1930s and would continue to promote and inspire Soviet life under Stalin. He also contributed drawings and illustrations to the magazine Pravda, ultimately being named an Honored Art Worker in 1963 by the Russian Federation. In this poster, he shows the skilled hands of a Russian worker building a plan for the railroad. The large text reads, “Transport worker, armed with technical knowledge, fight for the reconstruction of transport,” while above in small print it says, “There isn’t a power in the world that the Bolsheviks couldn’t beat. [Fulfill the Five-Year Plan in four years.” There were many so-called “Five Year Plans” throughout the history of the Soviet Union, all aimed at rapid internal expansion in order to boost the Soviet economy. This poster was created during the first of thirteen such plans, which focused particularly on the development of heavy industry in Russia, and actually was completed a year ahead of schedule.

artist

NIKOLAI ANDREEVICH DOLGORUKOV (1902-1980)

Sold $10,350

Description

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