GROSSE BERLINER KUNSTAUSSTELLUNG. The Great Berlin Art Exhibition, also Great Berlin Art Exhibition, abbreviated GroBeKa or GBK, was an annual art exhibition , which existed from 1893 to 1969. Like most artists of his generation Melchior Lechter (1865-1937) worked in all the different fields of decorative arts. He specialized in painting on glass but also worked in the field of graphic arts, designing books, bookplates, calendars and posters. He was strongly influenced by the work of William Morris. The image has incredible importance as the first pure Art Nouveau image published in Germany, and it represents a turning point in German graphic design. It was designed one year before the founding of the Secession and is the only image from the era we have seen that does not reflect any Hellenistic influences.
