EMIL CARDINAUX (1877-1936) PKZ / CONFECTION KEHL. 1908.

49x37 1/2 inches. J. E. Wolfensberger, Zurich.
Condition B+: minor tears and creases in margins; vertical and horizontal folds; creases in image.
It is impressive to consider how quickly the PKZ art department could pinpoint emerging artists and immediately commission them to design a poster. Cardinaux was one of the founding fathers of the Swiss poster tradition, who came to national (and international) attention in 1908 with his famous poster for Zermatt, which boldly depicted the Matterhorn-an image that is a landmark in Swiss graphic design. The very same year he was hired by PKZ for whom he produced his first "classic" commercial poster-this bold image of a dapper mountaineer depicted from a low angle, with the Alps behind him and a vast pale-yellow sky to emphasize the wilderness of the scene. In all, Cardinaux went on to design five posters for the company. Cardinaux no. 13, p. 36, Jahrhundert no. 46, p. 10.