Ludwig Hohlwein

Biography

The dominating figure of European poster design for three decades. A master of the advertisement poster and the political poster. Hohlwein lived through two world wars, producing memorable posters for each.

Born 27 July 1874 in Wiesbaden. 1891: began training as an architect. 1894: architectural studies at the Technical High School, Munich. At the Turin International Industrial Art Exhibition, 1902, represented by his candleholders and lamp-stands. 1903: began as a freelance interior architect; prolific designs for furniture. 1904: represented in Munich exhibition by drawings of animals much influenced by the British ‘Beggarstaff Brothers’ (William Nicholson and James Pryde); 1905 in Greater Berlin Art Exhibition, several bought by the National Gallery. By 1906 he was producing advertising posters featuring animals and hunters. 1914: medically deferred from service, he produced many posters for the homefront. From 1920: many commissions for industry, films and tourism; designed the Kiosk der Sektkellerei Ewald, Rüdesheim 1924: exhibition of his work sponsored by the Bund Deutscher Gebrauchsgraphiker (BDG) in the Münchner Neuen Pinakothek. 1926: monograph of his work published, text by W.F. Schubert. From 1933: member of several NSDAP organizations including Reichskulturkammer der bildenden Künste (the arm of the Nazi Party that controlled the lives and work of German artists), Volkswohlfahrt (welfare), Kameradschaft der Künstler (association of artists) attaining high position in Party and government. 1936: designed Winter Olympics poster. 1937: work exhibited in Grossen Deutschen Art Exhibition, House of German Art, Munich. July 1944: his studio destroyed in a bombing raid; in September he moved to Berchtesgaden to live in the house provided by the Kameradschaft der Künstler. After the arrival of the American Army in 1945 he produced some work for the ‘Special Service’ unit, U.S. Army, and served as an interpreter. Because of political pressure in 1946 by the local council he was unable to continue his profession. Hohlwein died 15 September 1949 in Berchtesgaden having earned deserved world recognition as one of the leading figures of early twentieth-century poster art.

A comprehensive reference is Volker Duvigneau and Norbert Götz (eds.), Ludwig Hohlwein 1874-1949, Munich/Berlin: Klinkhardt & Biermann, 1996, published on the occasion of the artist’s exhibition at the Stadtmuseum, Munich, 1996.

Writings by

  • Gg, Jan. 1933, pp. 18-19 (note on commercial art).

Writings about

  • 1911-29: frequent appearances in Das Plakat from Jan. 1911
  • Hans Sachs, ‘Ludwig Hohlwein’, Das Plakat, May 1913, pp. 103-17 (inc. list of LH’s works) and supplement
  • Gustav E. Pazaurek, ‘Schriftplakat und Plakatschrift’, Das Plakat, July 1914, pp. 144-57
  • Georg Jakob Wolf, ‘Münchner Plakatkunst, Das Plakat, 1915, pp. 1-21
  • Heinrich Jost, ‘Kriegsgraphik’, Das Plakat, 1915, pp. 22-8
  • H.J. Möbs, ‘Der Werbemittel der Schwerindustrie’ (heavy industry), Das Plakat, Sept. 1915, pp. 173-93
  • Heinrich Jost, ‘Münchener Plakatkunst in der Krieszeit’ (wartime posters), Das Plakat, 1917, pp. 92-5
  • Das Plakat (Munich ed.), Jan. 1921 (numerous ills.)
  • Walter von Zur Westen, ‘Notentitel’, Das Plakat, March 1921, pp. 146-74, esp. pp. 170, 171
  • ZfB, 1922, in supplement: Kiosk der Sektkellerei Ewald, Rüdesheim
  • Walter F. Schubert, ‘Ludwig Hohlwein’ (50th birthday), Die Reklame, May 1925, p. 491 (and cover by LH
  • LH posters, ads in supplement)
  • H.K. Frenzel, ’25 years of [the] German poster’, Gg, 1925, no. 4, Jhrg. 2, pp. 1-46, esp. pp. 17, 25
  • Walter F. Schubert, ‘Die bildmässige Anzeige’, Die Reklame, Sept. (2) 1925, pp. 996-9
  • W. Franz, ‘Das Plakat im Dienste der Verkehrswerbung’, Die Reklame, Oct. (2), 1925, pp. 1149-51, 1237
  • H.K. Frenzel, Ludwig Hohlwein, Berlin: Phönix, 1926
  • DdW, 1927, (numerous illustrations)
  • H. Bermann, ‘Twenty years of “PKZ”’ (men’s clothier), Gg, 1928, v. 1, pp. 18-31
  • Kurt Kauffmann, ‘Means of propaganda [advertising] employed by the North German Lloyd’ (shipping line), Gg, 1928, v. 4, pp. 3-15
  • Deutscher Drucker, 1928, opp. p. 768 (adv. for printer)
  • 1930-35: Walter F. Schubert, ‘Ludwig Hohlwein’, Commercial Art, 1929, VII, pp. 157-62
  • ‘Result of the poster competition for the Chicago World Exhibition’ (World’s Fair), Gg, July 1930, pp. 52-7
  • Gg, April 1931, in ad inset at end (Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen poster)
  • H.K. Frenzel, ‘The “Neue Vereinigung Münchner Plakat-Kunstler”’ (League of Munich Poster Artists), Gg, Aug. 1931, pp. 2-9
  • Werner Suhr, ‘Es ist an der Zeit…’, Gg, Aug. 1931, pp. 10-25, esp. p. 12
  • H.K. Frenzel, ‘The landscape in poster art’, Gg, Dec. 1931, pp. 2-25
  • Jan. Gg, Jan. 1932, p. 41 (packaging)
  • H.K. Frenzel, ‘Prof. Ludwig Hohlwein’, Gg, Jan. 1933, pp. 18-19 (posters)
  • Werner Suhr, ‘German railroads advertise’, Gg, March 1933, pp. 2-13, esp. p. 12
  • H.K. Frenzel, ‘Back to twenty years ago’, Gg, Jan. 1934, pp. 17-32, esp. p. 24
  • H.K. Frenzel, ‘Professor Ludwig Hohlwein 60 Jahre’, Gg, July 1934, pp. 2-11 plus 4 colour insets, plus covers
  • AfB, 1935, 1p. in inset between pp. 252/253 (Reichsbahn poster)
  • 1936-present: Paul Pfund, ‘German advertising art 1936’, Gg, March 1936, pp. 3-61, esp. p. 4 (poster)

    • AfB, 1939, pp. 616 (Olympics poster), facing p. 616 (poster for colour manufacturer)

  • Walter Hofmann, ‘Die Entwicklung der Deutschen Werbegraphik’, AfB, 1939, after p. 639 (wrapper)
  • Dr Ell, ‘Ludwig Hohlwein, zum fünfundziebzigsten Geburtstag’, Graphik, 1949, 9, p. 425
  • ‘Ludwig Hohlwein’ Graphik, 1949, 11, pp. 509-11
  • Eberhard Hölscher, ‘The eternally young Pelican firm’ (logos, advertisements), Gg, May 1956, pp. 16-25
  • Anton Sailer, ‘Ein Meister des Plakats – Ludwig Hohlwein’, Graphik 8, 1959, pp. 12-15
  • E. Hölscher, Gg, Jan. 1959, pp. 14-21 (Gg covers)
  • DdP, 1965, pp. 122-5, 199, 226, 232
  • DPM, 1965, pp. 23-5 and illust.
  • Volker Duvigneau, ‘Hohlwein posters from 1906 to 1914’, Gg, May 1970, pp. 22-9
  • Imprimatur, 1972, p. 57 (portrait sketch of LH from Simpilicissimus, Feb. 1925)
  • Hans Baumeister, ‘Ludwig Hohlwein 1874-1949’ (centenary), novum, June 1974, pp. 32-43
  • Ludwig Hohlwein: Plakate der Jahre 1906-40 (exh. cat.), Stuttgart: Staatsgalerie, and Deutsches Plakatmuseum, Essen, 1985
  • Peter Weiss, ‘“München leuchtete” auch im kleinen Format’, Graphik, 1985, 6, pp. 44-8
  • SP, 1991
  • Lothar Lang, ‘Alternatives Sammeln: Wirtshausgraphik’, Marginalien, 1993, no. 130, pp. 88-91 (wine list cover)
  • Volker Duvigneau and Norbert Götz (eds.), Ludwig Hohlwein, Kunstgewerbe und Reklamekunst (exh. cat.), Munich: Klinkhardt & Biermann, 1996
  • Herbert Lechner, ‘Ludwig Hohlwein’ (note on the Munich exh.), in Graphis, Nov./Dec., 1996, p. 12
  • DBE, 1997
  • DMK, 1997 (see ‘Plakate’ index)
  • Meggs, 1998
  • JA, 2000, esp. pp. 134-5
  • Benezit, 2006
  • www.travelbrochuregraphics.com.

Exhibitions

  • Museum für Deutsche Geschichte, Berlin, 1957 (group)
  • Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart, and Deutsches Plakatmuseum, Essen, 1985
  • Stadtmuseum, Munich, 1996.