''Irrende Seelen'', 1921 - art by Josef Fenneker
by Movie World Posters
Title
''Irrende Seelen'', 1921 - art by Josef Fenneker
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Posters
Description
A vintage movie poster of the German film, ''Irrende Seelen'', a 1921 German silent film directed by Carl Froelich. The English title of the film is "Wandering Souls." Here's a description of the movie:
Plot Summary:
"Irrende Seelen" (Wandering Souls) is a silent film that tells the story of Elisabeth, portrayed by Henny Porten, a young woman who is unhappily married to her older husband, Dr. Wehrhahn, played by Reinhold Schünzel. Elisabeth feels trapped in her marriage and longs for a different life.
As the title suggests, the film explores the concept of wandering souls and the idea that people may be connected across time and space by the spirits of their ancestors. Elisabeth becomes deeply interested in spiritualism and begins to attend seances and communicate with the spirit world.
During one such seance, Elisabeth believes she has made contact with the spirit of a man named Anton, who was her true love in a previous life. This connection leads her to question her current marriage and her feelings for her husband.
The film delves into themes of reincarnation, fate, and the search for true love. Elisabeth's journey to discover the truth about her past life and her connection to Anton drives the narrative.
"Irrende Seelen" is notable for its exploration of spiritualism and the supernatural, which were popular themes in the silent film era. The film incorporates elements of the paranormal and the mystical as it explores the idea of souls finding each other across different lifetimes.
Henny Porten delivers a compelling performance as Elisabeth, capturing the character's emotional turmoil and spiritual awakening. The film's visual style and cinematography are also noteworthy, with creative use of lighting and symbolism.
While "Irrende Seelen" may not be as widely known today as some other silent films, it is appreciated for its unique themes and its contribution to the cinematic exploration of the supernatural and the human soul. It remains a part of silent film history and an example of early German cinema.
The posters of graphic artist and painter Josef Fenneker impress with their dark, mysterious and fascinating atmospheres. Stylistically, they embody the unusual and elegant forms of Art Nouveau and the intense emotional energy of the Expressionist painting. His characters, often haunting and spectral female figures, stand out against dark black or blue backgrounds. They are characterized by livid and gloomy tones. The restlessness of 1920s Berlin and the Weimer Republic shines through Fenneker's artworks.
The artist masterfully used the technique of color lithography, thus preferring the medium of printmaking. Lithography was a tradition in German culture. It allowed great expressive possibilities, enhancing contrasts and the sharpness of outlines. While the German printers in that period who were able to keep a colored image bright and distinct on top of a solid dark ink background were considered the world's most skilled.
About the artist:
Josef Fenneker (1895–1956) was born in Bocholt, Germany and went on to become a noted German painter and graphic artist, designing over 300 movie posters. His recognizable style drew mainly on German Expressionism with a flair for aesthetic decadence.
After studying in Münster, Düsseldorf, and Munich, Fenneker moved to Berlin, where he studied graphic arts and book art at the teaching institute of the Kunstgewerbemuseum. He was a master student of Emil Orlik during his studies there.
At the beginning of his career, Fenneker primarily focused on commercial graphics. However, after 1918, he began designing film posters for major Berlin premiere theaters. His unique style quickly earned him notoriety among the industry. Dr. Siegbert Goldschmitt, director of the distinguished Marmorhaus film theater, commissioned Fenneker to design for many of his theater’s exhibited films.
By age 30, Fenneker had already painted and designed over 250 works. Like many other European poster artists, he created original paintings instead of using photographs, stating, "No photo can show the 'excessive drama' of the cinema; only the drawn and painted illustration can do that."
Fenneker's influences included Expressionism, Cubism and Futurism, Art Deco, and Jugendstil (Art Nouveau). His expressionistic style earned him a position as one of the most important representatives of artistic film posters of the 1910s and 1920s.
Search by the artist's last name to see more of his art.
Uploaded
May 31st, 2021
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