Casanova Cigaretten 1914

Charm and economy meet in this memorable 1914 German poster by Ludwig Hohlwein. Among his several designs for Casanova Cigarettes, this one has always been the favourite: a dapper dog, jauntily wrapped in a red scarf, calmly enjoying a cigarette. The idea proved so winning that the character became the brand's signature mascot, going on to grace cigarette boxes, tin signs and every kind of promotional material that followed.

The appeal lies in Hohlwein's remarkable restraint. With a confident silhouette, dramatic lighting and a few areas of rich, flat colour, he conjures an entire personality, worldly, amused and impeccably turned out, from the barest of means. There is wit in every line, but nothing is wasted; this is the poster reduced to its most essential and most effective form, a small masterpiece of graphic storytelling. More than a century later the dog still raises a smile, which is perhaps the surest sign of how completely Hohlwein solved the problem every advertiser faces, and why collectors still prize his cigarette designs above almost all others.

Ludwig Hohlwein (1874-1949) was Germany's foremost poster artist and a master of the bold, economical Sachplakat or object poster style. His striking silhouettes, dramatic contrasts and sumptuous flat colour made him one of the most imitated graphic designers of the early twentieth century, and his influence on modern advertising design is difficult to overstate.

While the illustrated poster reached its first golden age during the French Belle Epoque, the object-poster movement Hohlwein championed pushed the form in a bolder, more graphic direction, stripping away ornament in favour of the single striking image, an approach that feels startlingly modern even today.

Displayed at scale, a vintage lithographic poster becomes a genuine focal point. Its bold palette and clean composition hold their own above a sofa, bed or console, anchor a gallery wall of mixed prints, and bring wit, warmth and a sense of history to a living room, hallway, dining room, home bar, study or studio.

Printed to order on premium 189 gsm museum-grade archival matte paper with fade-resistant pigment inks for rich, gallery-quality colour and crisp, faithful detail. Choose your size from the drop-down menu - 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30 or 24x36 inches. Each print is carefully packaged and shipped rolled in a sturdy tube, or flat for the smallest size; a frame is not included.

This is a faithful fine-art reproduction of the original stone lithograph, colour-matched and printed to archival standards rather than a flat mass-market copy. It preserves the texture and character of the antique poster while arriving clean, crisp and ready to frame.

A delightful gift for lovers of vintage German advertising, graphic design and Hohlwein's celebrated Sachplakat style, and a lasting way to bring a piece of poster history into a home, study or workplace. Subtle age-toning from the high-resolution original scan is part of its authentic historic character.