Schnackenberg came from the generation of German artists who valued color and simplicity when creating a design. By placing figures in front of abstract backgrounds, he drew attention to and emphasized the product or celebrity being promoted by the poster without being overbearing. Here, the ballet duo Peter Pathe and Maria Hagen are portrayed with such elegance and grace that one knows the type of music to which they are performing without actually hearing it. The feather-light touch of their fingers, his chin almost brushing her hair as she leans forward, implies that this is that moment in the performance where their bodies echo the swell of the music before falling back into motion. It’s a haunting and truly beautiful design.
O. Consée, München
literature: Schnackenberg, unnumbered; Plakate München, 419; Femme s'Affiche, p. 50; PAI-LXXXV, 428