Argio Orell - PortoRose (Trieste) - 1970s

Splendid and rare vintage travel manifesto from the renowned seaside and climate resort of Portorose (then under the Province of Trieste, today Portorož), printed by the historic graphic establishment Modiano. The work bears the plate signature of the famous Triestine artist Argio Orell, a leading painter and illustrator of the period, renowned for his extraordinary compositional refinement. The poster is a superb example of Liberty / Art Nouveau style blended with the prevailing Japonisme taste of the era. The visual centerpiece is a colossal stylized wave in the foreground that explicitly recalls Hokusai's celebrated "The Great Wave off Kanagawa." The foamy crests gracefully and energetically frame a coastal panorama rich in architectural details, among which the historic Palace Hotel and the lively beach stand out. All is enclosed by an elegant cartouche decorated at the bottom with opulent motifs of roses, flowers and autumn fruits, echoing the very name of the locality. In the lower cartouche are the original promotional phrases of the period inviting holidays: "Stazione Climatica e Balneare presso Trieste - Bagni di Spiaggia - Stabilimento di Cura - Bagni d'Acqua Madre, Salsoiodici - Palace Hotel - Hotel Riviera - Villa San Lorenzo e 50 altri alberghi e pensioni".