Page 102 - Swann Galleries - Modernist Posters - Sale 2314 - May 13, 2013

KURT SCHWITTERS (1887-1948) & THEO VAN DOESBURG (1883-1931)
118 ● KLEINE DADA SOIREÉ. 1923.
11x11 inches, 30x30 cm.
Condition A-: vertical and horizontal folds as issued; minor loss in lower left corner. Paper.
Late in 1922, Schwitters and van Doesburg planned a small tour around the Netherlands with a
traveling Dada show, in order to introduce local artists to their work. The initial evening had been
scheduled for December 27, but Schwitters had problems with his passport and the first show wasn’t
held until January 10. In all, there were 17 separate performances in 8 different locations. The first
event was held at the Haagsche Kunstkring in the Hague. The address of the venue is included in the
poster’s upper right corner (“Haagsche K.K. Binnenhof 8”). For subsequent performances in other
locations, the poster was slightly changed; this address was removed and a small plug for van
Doesburg’s Dada Magazine, “Abonnement Mecano F5 per Jaar,” was added. Otherwise the two
versions of the poster are identical. The poster has the event program and Dada slogans presented in
sophisticated disorder using different hand drawn typography and font sizes. “The poster’s discordant
appearance reflects the tenor of many Dada evenings” (moma.org/learn). Modern Poster p. 102, Avant
Garde p. 38, Berman p. 38. [20,000/30,000]