There is reason to assume that everyone— literally everyone—who in Munich during the regency of Prince Luitpold travelled by streetcar, visited restaurants, exhibitions, theatre performances and concerts, or simply wandered along the streets directed his gaze to posters designed by Emil Pirchan. Munich, with so far-reaching a radiance as a capital of art at the beginning of the twentieth century, would serve Pirchan as the point of departure for his career as a stage designer.

Initially, however, he had a both rapid and remarkable career as a poster designer and graphic artist for advertisements. During his residence in Munich up to 1918, there arose some fifty advertising posters along with a large number of works in applied graphics such as book covers, illustrations, vignettes and bookplates—altogether more than 1,500 sheets. In 1913 he opened a poster school in which he trained professional advertisers. (Katja Sebald)

Wine menu for the artists-tavern Serenissimus, Munich, c. 1910 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Poster for his exhibition of set designs at the Modern Gallery, Munich, 1912 (Theatermuseum Vienna)

Poster ’Park Casino Restaurant im Ausstellungspark‘, Munich, 1913 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Poster for an exhibition of artworks in Wiesbaden, Munich, 1913 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Advertisement for ‘Ignaz Lamm Metal Smelting’, Munich, c. 1914 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Designs for ‘Winter in Munich and the Bavarian Highlands’, Munich, 1915 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

‘Please Pay!’ poster, revue at the Nelson Theater, Berlin, 1921 (Theatermuseum Vienna)

‘Hohe Warte’ poster, Vienna, 1904, labelled ‘My first poster’ (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Cover page of a bookplate collection, Verlag Seybold, Munich, c. 1911 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Poster for the Albert Ebner Art Institute, Munich, 1912 (Stadtmuseum Munich)

Book cover ’Wanderzüge im Umkreise Münchens zu Fuss und mit dem Rad‘, Munich, 1913 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Poster design for Bilz-Stoffe breathable clothing, Munich, 1914 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Poster ’Münchener Plakatschule Pirchan‘ [I], Munich, 1914 (Museum Folkwang Essen)

Idea sketch for Dunlop, Munich, 1915 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Advertisement for the Adolf-Bruno Schaefer advertising workshop, Munich, c. 1910 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

‘Ruby Betteley’ poster, Munich, 1912 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Poster ’Verein Deutscher Plakatanschlaginstitute e.V.‘, Munich, 1913 (Museum Folkwang Essen)

Emil Pirchan, poster for Gertrude Leistikow Dances, Munich, 1913 (Theatermuseum Vienna)

Invitation to a Pirchan exhibition, Deutscher Buchgewerbeverein in Leipzig, Munich, 1914 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Flyer of the printing company J.C. König & Ebhardt (Hanover), Munich, 1918 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Invitation to the Pirchan exhibition at the Museum August Kestner in Hanover, Munich, 1917 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Poster for ‘Midsummer Celebrations — A Day for the People and Children — Fairy-tale in the Park’, Munich, 1910 (Karl Lagerfeld collection)

Tram poster for Panovo, Munich, 1912 (Museum Folkwang Essen)

Designs for D. J. Bosman piano rental, Munich, 1913 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Graphic design, Munich, c. 1913 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Advertising stamps for Darmstadt, Munich, 1914 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Colouring book ’Aus alten Städten – Ein Malbuch. Nr. 532’, Otto Maier Verlag Ravensburg, Munich 1914 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)

Cover page of a catalogue for the Pirchan solo exhibition in the Stuttgarter Landesgewerbemuseum, 1917 (Steffan/Pabst Collection)