Universal, indeed. But not much known until now. Emil Pirchan (1884–1957) was a multifaceted talent who worked in Berlin, Prague, and Vienna. Though he trained in Vienna as an architect, Pirchan built a successful career in advertising art. He was also a talented designer and illustrator, responsible for innovations in stagecraft and theatrical color effects as well as costuming. Pirchan’s estate, secreted away in an attic in Zurich, was discovered just a few years ago. The Leopold exhibition brings a welcome spotlight to this wide-ranging artist, a mover in European Modernism. —L.J.

Emil Pirchan: Universal Artist
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Leopold Museum / Vienna / Art
Leopold Museum / Vienna / Art
Emil Pirchan, “Plakatentwurf (Collage),” c. 1912 © Sammlung Steffan/Pabst. Photo: Sammlung Steffan/Pabst.
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