Date: 1939
Size: 24 x 31.5 inches
Artist: René Kuder
About the Poster: This original French poster, printed in Strasbourg, must have been done before the month of September, when the city's entire population was evacuated as a precautionary measure: the Alsatian capital's border was deemed uncomfortably close to the Germans, who were then an Axis nation. The poster advertises the benefits of artisanal products and services, and features a stonemason, a metalsmith, and a woodworker.
About the Artist: René Kuder (1882 - 1962) was a French artist and painter. Growing up, he greatly admired and respected his father, a wood turner, winemaker, history buff, and ardent Republican. He wished for his son to become an artisan such as himself, but René secretly wished to explore his artistic inclinations. Not wanting to create a rift in the family, he spent many years learning about woodworking under his father's tutelage, and only painted during his free time. At 18, his father finally gave in, and René was able to study Fine Art at the University of Strasbourg.
In September of 1939 - around the time this poster was made - René and his daughters left Strasbourg to live with his sister in Villé, where he was inspired by the wide country sky and beautiful natural lighting. He took up waterpainting full time. It is rumoured that, as a child, the artist was hindered by a malady which left him partially blind.
Signed in the lithographic plate by René Kuder, this poster is linen backed and in excellent condition.