Julius Klinger

Julius Klinger was an Austrian painter of Jewish descent, draughtsman, illustrator, commercial artist, typographer and writer, and is considered one of the leading graphic artists of modernism. Through his visual culture and innovative advertising posters, his ornamental and typographic design, his works were associated with both the Viennese Secession and Art Nouveau. At the end of the 19th century, Klinger worked as a poster designer in Germany and became famous there. After the outbreak of the First World War he returned to Austria to set up a studio. He remained in Vienna, with two brief visits to the United States, until his deportation to an extermination camp in Minsk, where he was killed in 1942.

Klinger’s artistic reputation was built on the strength and range of his designs, which often featured a distinctive style characterised by graphic simplicity and directness – whether in the form of illustrations, graphic ornaments or his most famous posters. A champion of “Americanism” and the progressive approach to modern businesses and media that came from across the Atlantic, he understood the identity-creating power of modern trademarks and logos for large companies and manufacturers and was a leading figure in designing the look and feel of well-known brands.

Posters by Julius Klinger