Les trésors d'art des grisons au musée des Beaux Arts de Berne 1946

Issued in 1946, this original exhibition poster by Alois Carigiet promotes “Les Trésors d’Art des Grisons”, a major exhibition presented at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Berne. Organized in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, the exhibition sought to celebrate and preserve the artistic heritage of the canton of Graubünden (Grisons), one of Switzerland’s most culturally diverse and historically rich regions.

The poster is dominated by the striking figure of a saint rendered in Carigiet’s expressive and highly personal style. The figure, inspired by medieval religious sculpture and mural painting from the Alpine valleys of the Grisons, holds a book and a large symbolic key, attributes commonly associated with Saint Peter. Through bold brushwork and vivid contrasts of red, green, and turquoise, Carigiet transforms a historical religious image into a powerful modern composition that immediately captures the viewer’s attention.

The exhibition highlighted the remarkable artistic treasures preserved throughout the Grisons, including Romanesque and Gothic sculptures, frescoes, illuminated manuscripts, ecclesiastical treasures, and examples of folk art. Owing to its mountainous geography and relative isolation, the region preserved a unique artistic tradition that blended influences from northern Italy, the German-speaking world, and local Alpine culture. By bringing these works to Bern, the exhibition introduced a broader public to one of Switzerland’s lesser-known artistic legacies.

Alois Carigiet (1902–1985), one of Switzerland’s most celebrated twentieth-century artists and illustrators, was particularly well suited for such a commission. Born in Trun, in the canton of Graubünden, he maintained a lifelong attachment to the landscapes, traditions, and cultural heritage of his native region. His work frequently combined modern graphic design with motifs drawn from Swiss folk culture and Alpine history. Today he is especially remembered for his celebrated illustrations of the children’s classic Schellen-Ursli, though his poster designs remain among the finest examples of Swiss graphic art.

The composition demonstrates many of the qualities that made Swiss poster design internationally renowned during the twentieth century. The image combines clarity, expressive power, and cultural symbolism while maintaining a strong visual impact from a distance. Carigiet’s painterly treatment differs from the strict geometric modernism often associated with Swiss graphic design, giving the poster a distinctive warmth and human presence.

Today, original exhibition posters by Alois Carigiet are highly sought after by collectors of Swiss graphic design, museum posters, and twentieth-century art. This example is particularly desirable for its connection to the cultural heritage of the Grisons and for its successful fusion of historical subject matter with modern artistic expression.

Original Poster

Exhibition - Switzerland

Printed by Wolfsberg in Zurich

Good condition, creases