Plakat zur IX. Internationalen Kunstausstellung in München 1905

This is Franz von Stuck's poster for the IX. Internationalen Kunstausstellung in München, it's not dated, but it’s from around 1905. Look at how Stuck uses the same sinuous lines for the manes of the horses as for the water below, really bringing together these separate parts of the composition. There is a sort of classical solidity to the figures and text, but it's combined with a fluid approach to line. The horses are the most interesting element. Although they appear as one at first glance, on closer inspection you can see the subtle modulations and shifts as they recede into the background. It's almost like they are a single beast with multiple heads and too many legs, which gives the image a surreal, dreamlike quality. Stuck’s aesthetic reminds me a little of Gustav Klimt, in the way he combines clean lines with decorative elements. But he lacks Klimt's opulent sensuality. Instead, there is something a little colder, more knowing. Like a knowing wink from someone who has seen too much.