Artists' Festival Carnival 1898 in both Royal Court Theaters Munich
1898
Imagine a party invitation that looks like it was stolen from an ancient Greek temple. Friedrich August von Kaulbach designed this poster for the 1898 Artists' Carnival in Munich, featuring a golden chariot racing across a black sky—likely representing the sun god Apollo—while three dancing women swirl ribbons below a central sun face. The style mimics classical pottery, and the text at the bottom even uses the Latin 'V' for 'U' (spelling 'MVENCHEN' instead of Muenchen) to give the event a grand, imperial Roman feel. It’s a perfect example of Academic art being used to hype up a massive celebration.