Max Cordier

Biography

Posters, publicity, ceramics, stamps. Born 12 January 1903 in Strassburg. His father (Joseph) Eugène (1880-1923) was an artist. First trained at the Ecole des Arts décoratifs, Strassburg, then at the Akademie der bildenden Künste, Munich: a teacher was Julius Diez. 1925: in a Lufthansa poster competition he won 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th prizes. 1927: his success came with winning the Deutsche Bundesschiessen poster competition. He designed posters for theatre, travel, railway, post office and exhibitions, and murals for the Deutsches Museum. 1969-72: designed stamps for the Deutsche Bundespost. 1973: awarded the Schwabinger Kunst-preis (Art Prize). Member of the Vereinigung Münchener Plakatkünstler (Association of Munich Poster Artists). Died 4 July 1974 in Tutzing (Starnberger See).

Writings about

  • H.K. Frenzel, ‘E.M. Cordier’, Gg, Aug. 1930, pp. 25-31
  • Werner Suhr, ‘Es ist an der Zeit…’, Gg, Aug. 1931, pp. 10-25, esp. pp. 15, 17, 24, 25 (posters, ads)
  • ‘Plakatwettbewerb der Michelwerke, Halle an der Saale’ (poster competition
  • Cordier: 1st prize), Gg, Aug. 1931, pp. 72-4
  • Gg, Jan. 1932, p. 42 (packaging)
  • H.K. Frenzel, ‘Posters from Munich’, Gg, July 1934, pp. 36-43, esp. pp. 36-8
  • ‘New works by Max Cordier, Munich’, Gg, July 1936, pp. 46-9
  • Walter Hofmann, ‘Die Entwicklung der Deutschen Werbegraphik’, AfB, 1939. esp. p. 617
  • Anton Sailer, ‘Eugen Max Cordier, München’, Gg, April 1951, pp. 13-21 (posters)
  • E. Hölscher, ‘New postal stamps’, Gg, Nov. 1953, pp. 42-3
  • Eberhard Hölscher, ‘Propaganda for the book’ (posters), Gg, June 1954, pp. 8-19
  • E. Hölscher, ‘The publicity of the German Federal Railways, Gg, April 1955, pp. 2-9
  • E. Hölscher, ‘Special postage stamps issued by the German Post Office in 1955’, Gg, Dec. 1955, pp. 8-13
  • E. Hölscher, ‘Advertising of the German Federal Postal Services’, Gg, April 1957, pp. 20-25
  • ‘Plakate, die man nicht vergisst’, Graphik, 1964, 7, pp. 12-13 (1927 poster)
  • A. Sailer, ‘Cordier’, Graphik, 1973, 11, pp. 30-32 (early posters)
  • Richard Roth, ‘Postage stamp design in West Germany’, Graphis 208, 1980, pp. 146-9, 184
  • AKL, 1999
  • www.dhm.de/ausstellungen/kkv and www.travelbrochuregraphics.com.

Exhibitions

  • Neue Galerie, Munich, 1974.