''Island of Happiness'', 1919 - art by Josef Fenneker
by Movie World Posters
Title
''Island of Happiness'', 1919 - art by Josef Fenneker
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Poster
Description
A vintage German movie poster of ''Island of Happiness'', a German movie, for which a vintage poster was created by Josef Fenneker, a noted German painter and graphic artist. This poster impresses with its dark, mysterious, and fascinating atmospheres, embodying the unusual and elegant forms of Art Nouveau and the intense emotional energy of Expressionism. Fenneker's work often features haunting and spectral female figures set against dark backgrounds, characterized by livid and gloomy tones, reflecting the restlessness of 1920s Berlin and the Weimer Republic. The technique of color lithography was masterfully used in the creation of this poster, a tradition in German culture that allowed for expressive possibilities and sharp contrasts.
However, specific details about the plot, cast, or production of the film "Island of Happiness" from 1919 are not readily available. The information primarily revolves around the artwork of Josef Fenneker and his influence in the realm of movie poster design during that era.
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 within 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 "Fenneker" to see more of his art.
Uploaded
January 23rd, 2022
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