Created in 1910 by the Belgian artist Florimond Van Acker, this original poster was produced for the Exposition Universelle de Bruxelles. It promoted the government-organized retrospective Les Arts au XVIIème Siècle, held from May to November at the Palais du Cinquantenaire. The poster was printed in colour lithography by Affiches d’Art O. De Rycker & Mendel in Brussels. Van Acker transforms the announcement into an elaborate historical pageant. At the centre, an aristocratic couple on horseback evokes Archduke Albert VII and Archduchess Isabella, rulers of the Southern Netherlands at the beginning of the seventeenth century. They are surrounded by courtiers, artists and craftsmen, collectively representing the cultural prosperity associated with their period. The foreground is filled with expressive figures wearing broad hats, ruffs and richly coloured cloaks. Several appear to represent the celebrated painters and intellectuals of the Flemish Baroque, while working figures on the right suggest the craftsmen responsible for the period’s decorative arts. The combination of horses, flowing fabrics and animated gestures creates a composition of remarkable theatrical energy. An ornate olive-green border decorated with fruit, foliage, ribbons and sculptural motifs frames the scene. Its historicizing ornament complements the subject of the retrospective, while the flowing Belle Époque lettering firmly places the poster in 1910. Rich reds, greens, golds and violet tones give the design the appearance of a tapestry or large historical painting. Florimond Van Acker, also known as Flori Van Acker, was a Belgian painter, illustrator and poster designer born in Bruges in 1858. Trained at the academies of Bruges, Antwerp and Brussels, he received the Belgian Prix de Rome in 1883 and became director of the Bruges Academy in 1910. His background in historical and decorative painting is particularly evident in this ambitious composition. With its large horizontal format, richly detailed imagery and important World’s Fair connection, this original 1910 poster is especially appealing to collectors of Belgian art, international exhibitions and Belle Époque graphic design. It is both an impressive decorative work and a fascinating document of Belgium’s celebration of its seventeenth-century artistic heritage. Original Poster Exhibition - Belgium Retrospective Arts in the seventeenth century - Palais du Cinquentenaire O. de Rycker & Mendel Brussels Good condition, folds, small holes
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