Wolfensberger Exhibition at Swiss National Museum
From 25 October 2013 until 2 March 2014 the Swiss National Museum features an exhibition of prints of the renowned printing Establishment J. E. Wolfensberger.
“Johann Edwin Wolfensberger (1873–1944) set new standards in the graphic arts industry and gave modern Swiss art a new platform. In 1911, the trained lithographer combined business premises and living accommodation, printing shop, lithographic studio and art gallery under one roof, in an impressive art nouveau-style building in Bederstrasse 109 in Zurich.
Swiss and foreign artists, including Ferdinand Hodler, Cuno Amiet and Oskar Kokoschka, designed their own posters directly on stone in the Wolfsberg. Otto Baumberger, Emil Cardinaux and Burkhard Mangold and other pioneers of Swiss advertising graphics were amongst the first collaborators.
The exhibition gives an insight into a company operating at the intersection of applied graphics, art and commerce, illustrates the technique of lithography and shows a broad range of top-class lithographs, from small-format adverts via original graphic design and art reproductions to posters.
The majority of the prints shown come from the holdings of a donation made by the descendants of J.E. Wolfensberger to the Swiss National Museum, through intermediary of the Swiss Graphic Design Foundation.”
(Source: Swiss National Museum)
Artifiche AG – Beatrice Müller
23 August 2013