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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).

Include sold items

Schützen Fest Laupen

1907

CHF 1430.–

Maskenball, Zürich

1911

CHF 2870.–

Swiss National exhibition, Berne, 1914

1914

CHF 970.–

Exposition Nationale Suisse, Berne

1914

CHF 1900.–

Bei Kandersteg, Berner Oberland

1916

CHF 2360.–

Teppishhaus Schuster & Co, St.Gallen & Zürich

1916

CHF 2650.–

St Moritz, Palace Hotel

1920

CHF 19600.–

Oui pour la Société des Nations

1920

CHF 1560.–

Oui pour la Société des Nations

1920

CHF 45.–

Palace Hotel St.Moritz, Golf

1921

CHF 9700.–

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.–

Jungfrau-Bahn, Berner Oberland Schweiz.

1924

CHF 6370.–

Teppishhaus Schuster & Co, Zürich

1924

CHF 2600.–

IXe Exposition Suisse d'agriculture, sylviculture et d'horticulture 1925

1925

CHF 940.–

Contre La Politique de la Rue Pour l'Ordre Démocratique, Protection de l'Ordre Public OUI

1934

CHF 1170.–

1939 l'Année de la Suisse, Exposition Nationale Suisse à Zürich

1939

CHF 490.–

L'Anno della Svizzera

1939

CHF 990.–

1939 l'Année de la Suisse, Exposition Nationale Suisse à Zürich

1939

CHF 990.–

L'Année de la Suisse

1939

CHF 760.–