Who invented the political poster?
Week Fifteen is Pale Orange, Denim Blue, Buff & Cadet Blue
Amidst all the rather heavy news of the last months, something positive: Hungary held elections this weekend, there was a record turnout of voters and the result was the ruling party of the last sixteen years conceding power.
I decided to feature a Hungarian artist for this week’s Colori Combo, one that has a strong political link. This week’s artist is in fact recognised as the founder of political poster art, Mihály Biró.
Biró (1886-1948) was born in Budapest to a Jewish family who had recently changed their surname from Weinberger. He studied at the School of Applied Arts in Budapest and between 1908 and 1910 travelled to Munich, Berlin, and England, where he was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement. After returning to Budapest, he became the leading graphic artist for the Hungarian Social Democratic Party’s newspaper, Népszava (The Voice of the People) where he soon began producing dramatic images that spoke directly to the working classes.
One of his early works there was the Red Man, a dramatic depiction of a muscular male figure (based on his lifelong friend, Tibor Fischer, who was a Hungarian wrestling champion) wielding an enormous sledgehammer. It became inextricably linked to the 1919 Hungarian Revolution and was widely adopted by leftist movements in Vienna, Berlin, Britain, Italy and China through the 1920s.
Cover of “Pathos in Red”, book published by MAK Design
At the end of the First World War, and after the fall of the short lived Hungarian Soviet Republic, Miklós Horthy’s fascist regime came to power and Biró fled to Austria.
Alongside his continued political work, he took on commercial commissions creating posters for business and the booming Austrian film industry. With the rise of Nazism in the 1930s, he relocated to Czechoslovakia and then to Paris, returning to Budapest one year before his death in 1948. His work influenced generations of designers across Europe and America and his legacy can been seen in many protest posters since.
Read more about Biró from the Budapest Poster Gallery here, find out about the Red Man at the MOMA here, take a look other posters here and in the Pathos in Red book here
Colours are taken from an early 1920s poster encouraging voters to back the Social Democrats. It depicts a male figure (most probably still modelled on Tibor Fischer) constructing a bridge with the wording Magyarország (Hungary).
“No Construction without Labour”, poster for the Social Democrats, Mihaly Biró, early 1920s
Colour Combination
The colours this week are Pale Orange, Denim Blue, Buff & Cadet Blue. Use them along with a contrasting dark and neutral light colour to create an artwork in any medium or style. Know someone who might enjoy a weekly dollop of colour and creativity? Why not share this post with them?
Shapes
Along with the colour prompt I am including some shapes inspired by the artwork which you can download as a PDF and print out to use as you wish.
I love your essays. Smart, well written and interesting. Thanks!