Page 62 - Swann Galleries - Modernist Posters - Sale 2314 - May 13, 2013

FRANZ LENHART (1898-1992)
73 ● MODIANO. 1935.
54x38 1/2 inches, 1371/4x97 3/4 cm. Grafiche Modiano, Trieste.
Condition A-: abrasions in image. Framed.
An art student in Vienna and Florence, Lenhart ultimately settled in Merano, where he lived for the
rest of his life. A painter, portraitist and illustrator, Lenhart also designed over 70 posters, the majority
of which were travel-related. The scenes in his travel posters are filled with attractive, stylish women
in stunning Art Deco leisure and sport attire. Although he designed very few product advertising
pieces, it seems he was able to seamlessly recreate his ideal woman here. Saul Modiano opened his
first rolling paper factory in Trieste in 1889. After the First World War he opened another factory in
Hungary and soon became the leader in the market. He was very particular about his advertising and
employed many of the best artists to promote his product. Posters for the company were designed by
such luminaries as Róbert Berény, Aladar Richter, Seneca and Sándor Bortnyik, all of whom created
strong, masculine, stylish and modernist images. This poster by Lenhart is a spectacular exception, not
only being one of the few (if not the only) to show a lady, but such a mysterious beauty at that, with
movie star appeal and nonchalance. It is as if she is ignoring the viewer to concentrate on her cigarette.
Lenhart uses flat green and black to build the image which emerges out of the background. The poster,
with its prominent white typography, is as efficient as it is captivating. Lenhart 76. [4,000/6,000]