Budapest Poster Gallery

1. Aukció

Lithography, 126x95 cm (49.6''x37.4''). Near mint condition.

Nyugat was the most influential journal of Hungarian modern literature. The cultic Nyugat poster is one of the most prominent works of Mihály Biró.
Nyugat was the first medium to move away from the conservative literary taste, and soon it became the forum of the modern-minded authors. It had been published monthly for 34 years (1908-1941), with Ernő Osváth, Ignotus, Oszkár Gellért and Mihály Babits as editors. The journal proved to be a great platform for artists such as Endre Ady, Dezső Kosztolányi, Frigyes Karinthy.
The poster of Mihály Biró precisely transfers the basic philosophic ideas of the founders and artists of the journal. The most significant bond between the greatest writers was the common enemy: provincialism and the philistine, conservative taste. As Gyula Krúdy remembered: “Nyugat became so wide-spread, exciting and remarkable, because of its enemies.” The writers’ – all having a different character – mutual goal was to create a western, modern literary culture in their home country. That mutual goal is what is being expressed on Mihály Biró’s poster: the new man breaks through to the sun, to a clear, elemental source of light, towards the developed and enlightened West.
It was important for the editors of Nyugat to nurture a good relationship with most of the modern representatives of other artistic fields. “We have to bond ourselves with all the so called modernist movements in theatre, music, fine art, social and political fields” – Ignotus summarized the overall program.
Mihály Biró had returned to Hungary from Britain just a short time before making the poster. He probably got in contact with representatives of Nyugat through his brother, Dezső Biró, who was a bookbinder and the publisher of Népszava (People’s Voice, the traditional journal of the Hungarian Social Democratic Party). Proving the impeccable taste of the members of Nyugat, they immediately paid attention to him. His brother also helped him to become the graphic designer of the Social Democratic Party. It was in this period when he designed the poster which depicts the red-hammer-wielding man. His brother introduced Mihály Biró to the wrestler Iván Fischer who became his all-time model. Supposedly he inspired the male figure on the Nyugat poster as well.
It wasn’t by chance that Biró became world famous: he is the one who founded the political poster on a universal level. On this poster the secessionist style couples with the monumental power typical of Biró.
The famous poster of Nyugat is very rare and is missing from most of the Hungarian public collections (National Széchényi Library, National Gallery). It is only available in the National Museum. The piece being on sales now has gotten to the Albertina Museum of Vienna from one of the most significant early private collections, the poster collection of Julius Paul. After a restitution process it was returned to the heirs of Julius Paul. Now it is in Hungary again within the frames of the auction. Fortunately the poster was preserved in near mint condition in the Albertina.