Thursday 29 November 2012

Witold Kay-Korzeniewicz: another clue


Busy with research for next posting I discovered something that proves an old friend right but also wrong in stating "similarities: you can find them anywhere". Finding yes, but looking for and putting one and one together is something different.

There have been no further clues or facts about the charming "Grosvenor School" Tugboat painting or about Witold Kay-Korzeniewicz (1914-1990)The finding of the actual boat model was one thing but this ca. 1910 poster by Carl Kunst (1884-1912) could be the putting one and one together. Decide for yourself; coincidence or plan? 


I'll bet Witold knew his brand of favorite chocolate (Stollwerck) from his younger years in Poland. It is also very telling of the spreading of designs and ideas with the popularity of applied art in advertising, rapidly growing international traffic and "grand events" posters in the beginning of the 20th century. 

The element of movement so characteristic in Grosvenor School Art maybe was first invented and applied by early German Modern Printmakers like short lived Carl Kunst. There's Nicholson's Beggarstaff influence in Germany, Jugenstil and maybe even a hint at Hiroshige's Great Wave. But there's also a new way of depicting the speeds and movements not witnessed before in history. The introduction of automobile racing events between 1905-1910 is probably another such element.



All pictures borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly and educational use only.

2 comments:

  1. The tugboat painting is just so wonderful.
    You're guilty of making me covet something I didn't even know existed.....I especially like the smoke billowing the "wrong" way and the wonderful way the white spray/wake is handled.
    It's cheerful in a different way than the Stollwerck poster--which looks more influenced by Cappiello and Mauzan than the Jugenstil...but what do I know..Thanks for posting this again...it's just great.

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    1. Hi Andrew, as you can see: I cannot put the tugboat out of my mind too. It's charming and amusing. I still have hopes maybe more paintings by this artist may turn up one day. I have no expertise on poster artists but I think Carl Kunst wasn't given much time to be very influenced. What I've seen of his small output (1905-1910) looks pretty original and most of all very modern.

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