Framed Vintage Beer Art
Although one might not imagine respected artists creating beer advertisements, framed vintage beer posters are beloved by many collectors. Beer is often associated with lighthearted fun, and its best advertisements portray that in an aesthetically compelling way.
The most famous artist associated with framed vintage beer artwork is nineteenth century Czech painter Alphonse Mucha. His poster for “Bieres de la Meuse” is in a flamboyant style consistent with his other work, for which he is perhaps more well-known. The poster features a woman in an ornate floral hat lying in a relaxed post on her lounge chair, holding a stein of beer. A black and white sketch of a woman spilling beer appears underneath, and the bottom of the advertisement shows a black and white sketch of what is presumably the brewery.
Sometimes framed vintage beer wall art intends to evoke a particular region or culture. For instance, “Moretti Beer” emphasizes the company’s ties to the Friuli region of northern Italy, which has more Germanic and Slavic cultural influences than most of the rest of the country. In the advertisement, the man drinking the beer has a thick mustache and is wearing a Panama-style hat, both of which are more associated with Germany than other parts of Italy.
Occasionally, beer art pieces poke fun at the potential adverse effects of excessive beer consumption. “Last Call Pub” by Robert Downs refers to the lowered inhibitions a person often experiences after drinking beer. “Quilmes” contains blurry portions, possibly in reference to the blurred vision one can experience while drinking beer.