Gisbert Combaz (1869-1941)

Gisbert Combaz is among a handful of turn-of-the century poster artists to create a personal style that is still recognizable today. His posters for the exhibition society La Libre Esthetique and his sets of postcards are as prized now as they were in Combaz's day. As this lavishly illustrated book reveals, however, Combaz was also an accomplished graphic artist, painter, and art critic who made important contributions to Western understanding of the art of the Far East and was an inspiring teacher to several generations of Belgian artists. For this thoroughly researched first study of Combaz's life, the author consulted family documents, unpublished photographs, works in private collections, and institutional and governmental archives to offer a full assessment of the man and his oeuvre. Included are a biographical essay and an analysis of his major works, with extensive documentation of his 24 posters.