An advertising poster from 1935 by Franz Lenhart, an Austrian-Italian painter and designer who became one of the principal figures in Italian commercial poster design during the first half of the twentieth century.
Lenhart’s output as a poster designer was extensive and varied. Much of his work featured celebrated Alpine destinations, particularly Cortina d’Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio in the Dolomites, which he depicted as ideal settings for both sporting and fashionable tourists. During the 1930s, he expanded his practice into illustrated publications, creating brochures and leaflets for Trieste-based shipping companies that promoted life aboard cruise vessels to prospective passengers.
About Franz Lenhart
Franz Joseph Lenhart was born in Bad Häring in 1898 and died in Merano in 1992. An Austrian painter and draughtsman who became an Italian citizen, he established himself as a master of the poster medium across several decades. His graphic work remains widely held in major Italian collections: 186 of his original posters are preserved in the Museo Nazionale Collezione Salce in Treviso, Italy’s largest repository of public advertising graphics, while significant examples also form part of the permanent exhibition at the Touriseum, the Provincial Museum of Tourism in Merano.
Details
- Creator: Franz Lenhart
- Year: 1935
- Object type: Advertising poster
- Holdings: Museo Nazionale Collezione Salce, Treviso; Touriseum, Merano
Frequently asked questions
Who was Franz Lenhart?
Franz Joseph Lenhart (1898–1992) was an Austrian-born painter and designer who became an Italian citizen. He was one of the leading figures in Italian commercial poster design during the early twentieth century, known particularly for his depictions of Alpine tourist destinations.
What subjects did Lenhart typically depict?
Lenhart’s poster work often featured Alpine localities in the Dolomites, especially Cortina d’Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio, presented as ideal destinations for sporting and fashionable tourists. In the 1930s, he also created illustrated publications for Trieste shipping companies.
Where can Lenhart’s work be seen today?
A substantial collection of 186 original posters by Lenhart is housed in the Museo Nazionale Collezione Salce in Treviso, and significant examples are displayed in the permanent exhibition at the Touriseum in Merano.
