Emil CARDINAUX
(1877 – 1936)
Emil Cardinaux, born in Bern in 1877, is one of the most important founders of the art of posters in Switzerland. After studying fine art in Munich, Cardinaux moved permanently in Switzerland and worked as a landscape painter.
In 1908, Emil Cardinaux designed the first "modern" tourism poster.
The Swiss government commissioned him to design a poster to promote the Matterhorn and Zermatt. Inspired by the paintings of Ferdinand Hodler, he freed the tourist poster from all realistic constraints and created a new, simpler and more dynamic graphic language. A monument to the glory of the Matterhorn, the image is reduced to its simplest expression, with no excess detail to hide the aesthetic value of its subtle play of colours, achieved through the exceptional quality of the lithographic printing process. A luminous, flamboyant Matterhorn overlooks a valley plunged into shadow.
This avant-garde poster revolutionised the representation of the tourist poster, influencing many Swiss artists and graphic designers and making Emil Cardinaux known internationally.
In addition to the Swiss tourist posters, Emil Cardinaux collaborated among others for the shoe brand "Bally" (1920), the chocolates "Villars" and "Tobler" (Toblerone).
Chocolat de Villars, Fribourg
1905
Sold
Zweisimmen, III Internationales Alpines Ski-Rennen, Ski-Club Bern
1905
Sold
Bern, Schweiz Switzerland Suisse
1906
Sold
Bern, Schweiz Switzerland Suisse
1906
Sold
IIème course de ski à Zweisimmen, Ski-Rennen
1906
Sold
Schützen Fest Laupen
1907
CHF 1430.–
Zermatt, Matterhorn 4505m Schweiz.
1908
Sold
Zermatt, Matterhorn 4505m Schweiz.
1908
Sold
Zermatt poster without the text
1908
Sold
Zermatt, Matterhorn 4505m Schweiz.
1908
Sold
Coupe Gordon Bennett
1909
Sold
Coupe Gordon Benett, Courses internationales de Ballons, Zurich
1909
Sold
Sommer in Graubünden, Schweiz
1909
Sold
Jungfrau-Bahn, Berner Oberland Schweiz
1910
Sold
Jungfrau-Bahn
circa 1910
Sold
Matterhorn
circa 1910
Sold
Zermatt, Matterhorn Cervin
circa 1910
Sold
Jungfrau-Bahn
circa 1910
Sold
Maskenball, Zürich
1911
CHF 2870.–
Gothard, Schweiz, SBB
1914
Sold
Rhätische Bahn, Graubünden Schweiz
1914
Sold
Exposition Nationale Suisse, Berne
1914
Sold
Exposition Nationale Suisse, Berne
1914
Sold
Haase Conserven Rorschach.
1914
Sold
Rhaetian Railway, Grisons, Castle of Tarasp
1914
Sold
Berna Kraftwagen
1914
Sold
Cigarettes Orientales Salomé
1914
Sold
Swiss National exhibition, Berne, 1914
1914
CHF 930.–
Matterhorn
circa 1915
Sold
Teppishhaus Schuster & Co, St.Gallen & Zürich
1916
CHF 2650.–
Bei Kandersteg, Berner Oberland
1916
CHF 2360.–
Automobiles Martini
1916
Sold
Rhätische Bahn, Graubünden Schweiz, Silsersee Oberengadin
1916
Sold
Chemin de Fer Rhétique, Lac de Sils Haute-Engadine, Grisons Suisse
1916
Sold
St. Moritz
1918
Sold
Davos
1918
Sold
Kinder Jacken, B. Fehlbaum Bern
1919
Sold
St Moritz, Palace Hotel
1920
CHF 19600.–
Oui pour la Société des Nations
1920
Sold
Oui pour la Société des Nations
1920
CHF 1560.–
St Moritz, Palace Hotel
1920
Sold
Oui à la société des Nations
1920
Sold
St Moritz, Palace Hotel
1920
Sold
Oui pour la Société des Nations
1920
Sold
Ja dem Völkerbund
1920
CHF 740.–
L'hiver en Suisse
1921
Sold
Winter in der Schweiz
1921
Sold
Lötschberg - Berne
1921
Sold
Winter in der Schweiz
1921
Sold
Palace Hotel St.Moritz, Golf
1921
CHF 9700.–
New
Schweizerische Alpenposten
1922
Sold
Votation contre l'impôt fédéral direct
1922
Sold
Schweizerische Alpenposten, Simplon Grimsel Furka Oberalp Gotthard Klausen Maloya.
1922
Sold
Pro Juventute, Vente de timbres et cartes au profit de l'enfance en âge scolaire
1923
CHF 990.–
Grisons, Ideal summer in The Grisons, Switzerland
1923
CHF 3900.–
Grisons, L'été dans les Grisons, Suisse
1923
Sold
Vulpera Tarasp, Suisse
1923
Sold
Teppischhaus Schuster & Co, Zürich
1924
Sold
Jungfrau-Bahn, Berner Oberland Schweiz.
1924
CHF 6370.–
Hinterstockensee
1924
Sold
Chaussures Bally
1924
Sold
Teppishhaus Schuster & Co, Zürich
1924
CHF 2600.–
Chaussures Bally
1924
Sold
Wengeralpbahn, Berner Oberland, Schweiz
1924
Sold
Chemin de Fer de la Jungfrau, Oberland Bernois Suisse
1925
Sold
IXe Exposition Suisse d'agriculture, sylviculture et d'horticulture 1925
1925
CHF 940.–
Jungfraubahn, Schweiz
1925
Sold
Bally, Chaussures
1926
CHF 2230.–
Ilco, Der Qualitäts-Schuh
1927
CHF 2760.–
Chaussures de sport Bally
1928
Sold
La ligne électrique du Simplon, Suisse
1928
Sold
Autocars postaux suisses
1928
Sold
Jungfraubahn, Berner Oberland, Schweiz
1928
Sold
Jungfraubahn, Jungfraujoch, 3457m, Schweiz
1928
Sold
Jungfraubahn
1928
Sold
Chemin de Fer de la Jungfrau, 3457m Jungfraujoch Suisse
1928
Sold
Peaceful Switzerland
circa 1928
Sold
The Electric Simplon Line, Switzerland
1928
Sold
Chemin de fer de la Jungfrau, Jungfraujoch, 3457m, Suisse
1928
Sold
Jungfrau-Railway, Jungfraujoch, Bernese Oberland
circa 1930
Sold
Jungfrau-Railway, Bernese Oberland, 3457m, Switzerland
circa 1930
Sold
Jungfrau bahn, Jungfraujoch, 3457m Schweiz
circa 1930
Sold
Altweg & Schwabb
circa 1930
Sold
Contre La Politique de la Rue Pour l'Ordre Démocratique, Protection de l'Ordre Public OUI
1934
CHF 1170.–
Bally, Qualitäts-Schuhe
1935
Sold
L'Année de la Suisse
1939
Sold
L'Anno della Svizzera
1939
CHF 990.–
1939 l'Année de la Suisse, Exposition Nationale Suisse à Zürich
1939
CHF 490.–
1939 l'Année de la Suisse, Exposition Nationale Suisse à Zürich
1939
CHF 990.–
Het Zwitsersche Jaar
1939
Sold
La Ligne du simplon sur les rives du Léman, Suisse
1949
Sold
Die Simplonlinie an den Gestaden des genfersees, Schweiz
1949
Sold
The Simplon Line, Along the shore of the Lake of Geneva, Switzerland
1949
Sold
La Linea del Sempione sulle rive del Lemano, Svizzera
1949
Sold
La Ligne du Simplon
1949
CHF 4650.–
La Ligne du Simplon, sur les rives du Léman
1949
Sold
Ja dem Völkerbund
None
Sold