Tosca
1899
Adolfo Hohenstein's striking 1899 poster for Puccini's opera Tosca captures a moment of high drama: a woman in a flowing yellow gown kneels over a fallen man, dagger in hand, while two candles flicker nearby against a bold red background. The snake winding through the giant title letters perfectly encapsulates the betrayal and danger of the story. As a master of Italian Art Nouveau design, Hohenstein created this iconic image for the publisher Ricordi, helping to launch the opera into fame before it even hit the stage.
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