{"product_id":"elixir-la-japonaise-vintage-liqueur-poster-1895","title":"Elixir La Japonaise Vintage Liqueur Poster, 1895","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eElixir La Japonaise\u003c\/em\u003e, made by Litho Myncke in 1895, turns a beverage advertisement into a densely staged vision of Japan. A woman in a brilliant yellow-and-red kimono occupies the foreground, holding a stringed instrument as blossoms, lanterns, bamboo and distant buildings gather around her. Below, the advertised bottle is given conspicuous prominence, while the product name arches across the upper field in large ornamental lettering. The poster’s force comes from this emphatic hierarchy: figure, title and bottle can each be understood at a glance, yet the surrounding detail rewards much slower attention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCreated during the fin-de-siècle expansion of printed advertising, the design belongs to a period in which the commercial poster became an unusually fertile meeting place for illustration, typography and publicity. Its Japanese theme reflects the wider European fascination with Japanese art and design in the later nineteenth century, but it also exemplifies the exoticised branding of the era. Rather than documenting a particular place, \u003cem\u003eElixir La Japonaise\u003c\/em\u003e assembles recognisable motifs into an imaginative setting designed to make the liqueur seem distinctive. The smaller inscription identifies it as a “liqueur hygiénique japonaise” distilled by G. Van Hoorebeke in Ghent—“Gand” in the French text—linking the invented Far Eastern atmosphere to a Belgian product.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eA closer look\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe central figure is built from decisive areas of flat colour and crisply defined contour. Her yellow robe forms the brightest and largest shape in the composition, punctuated by red and traced with fine black lines that articulate its textile pattern. Dark hair and decorative ornaments frame her composed face, while the instrument introduces a strong diagonal across the body. This contrast between an immediately legible silhouette and intricate internal patterning is central to the poster’s graphic effectiveness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBehind her, the space remains deliberately shallow. Green foliage and grass lead towards stylised architecture, while hanging lanterns and bamboo-like forms help frame the upper scene. Pink blossoms cluster particularly vividly at the lower right, softening the harder geometry of the lettering and bottle. The palette moves between warm yellow, scarlet and pink, cooler blue passages, and a broad field of green; the resulting contrasts keep the eye circulating rather than settling on a single detail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTypography is integrated into this ornamental structure rather than treated as an afterthought. “ELIXIR LA JAPONAISE” commands the top of the poster, with “ELIXIR” slightly raised to establish a clear reading order. Beneath it, the more compact product description supplies practical information without surrendering decorative character. At the lower centre, the bottle functions almost like a second protagonist: its elaborate label condenses the larger poster’s appetite for colour, border and embellishment into miniature form. An enclosing decorative border further binds the various components into one coherent display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eContext and significance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy the 1890s, advances in colour lithography had enabled advertisers to compete for attention through larger, brighter and more elaborate designs. Posters were not simply notices; they helped construct a product’s identity through memorable figures, settings and type. Here, Litho Myncke combines the directness required of street advertising with the decorative density associated with late nineteenth-century visual culture. The result reveals how readily commerce drew upon contemporary enthusiasms for distant places and cultures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSeen today, \u003cem\u003eElixir La Japonaise\u003c\/em\u003e is compelling both for its exuberant design and for what it discloses about European advertising in 1895. Its imagined Japan is plainly a promotional fantasy, assembled from selected visual signs rather than presented as an ethnographic account. That tension—between accomplished graphic invention and exoticised representation—makes the poster especially revealing: a vivid record of how colour, typography and cultural association were enlisted to give an everyday beverage an alluring identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing the right size and finish\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArtwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop for advice\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 24x36in (60x90cm) version of this art print.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee examples of personalised artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChoose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/de\/pages\/sepia-aged-maps\"\u003eSee examples of our Aged artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFramed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSelected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/de\/pages\/custom-framing\"\u003especialist framing\u003c\/a\u003e are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003econtact our workshop\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"A4 (210x297mm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640875581831,"sku":null,"price":54.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A4 (210x297mm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640875614599,"sku":null,"price":129.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A4 (210x297mm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640875647367,"sku":null,"price":150.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640875680135,"sku":null,"price":84.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640875712903,"sku":null,"price":225.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640875745671,"sku":null,"price":235.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640875778439,"sku":null,"price":84.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640875811207,"sku":null,"price":225.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640875843975,"sku":null,"price":235.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18x24in (45x60cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640875876743,"sku":null,"price":135.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18x24in (45x60cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640875909511,"sku":null,"price":321.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"18x24in (45x60cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640875942279,"sku":null,"price":342.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A2 (420x594mm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640875975047,"sku":null,"price":135.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A2 (420x594mm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640876007815,"sku":null,"price":321.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A2 (420x594mm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640876040583,"sku":null,"price":342.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x28in (50x70cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640876073351,"sku":null,"price":165.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x28in (50x70cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640876106119,"sku":null,"price":438.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x28in (50x70cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640876138887,"sku":null,"price":491.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36in (60x90cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640876171655,"sku":null,"price":180.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36in (60x90cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640876204423,"sku":null,"price":491.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36in (60x90cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640876237191,"sku":null,"price":534.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A1 (594x841mm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640876269959,"sku":null,"price":180.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A1 (594x841mm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640876302727,"sku":null,"price":491.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A1 (594x841mm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640876335495,"sku":null,"price":534.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x40in (70x100cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640876368263,"sku":null,"price":235.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x40in (70x100cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640876401031,"sku":null,"price":651.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x40in (70x100cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640876433799,"sku":null,"price":651.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"30x40in (75x100cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640876466567,"sku":null,"price":235.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"30x40in (75x100cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640876499335,"sku":null,"price":651.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"30x40in (75x100cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640876532103,"sku":null,"price":651.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A0 (841x1189mm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640876564871,"sku":null,"price":310.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A0 (841x1189mm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640876597639,"sku":null,"price":1633.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A0 (841x1189mm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640876630407,"sku":null,"price":1537.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x50in (84x127cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640876663175,"sku":null,"price":395.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x50in (84x127cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640876695943,"sku":null,"price":1963.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x50in (84x127cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640876728711,"sku":null,"price":1846.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40x60in (100x150cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640876761479,"sku":null,"price":534.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40x60in (100x150cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640876794247,"sku":null,"price":2987.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40x60in (100x150cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640876827015,"sku":null,"price":2774.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"47x70in (120x178cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640876859783,"sku":null,"price":886.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"47x70in (120x178cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640876892551,"sku":null,"price":4001.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"47x70in (120x178cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640876925319,"sku":null,"price":3734.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/0344\/8638\/files\/file_05cbe343-0e35-4cfe-a8d4-3a0d33e00ecc.jpg?v=1791318862","url":"https:\/\/uniquemaps.net\/de\/products\/elixir-la-japonaise-vintage-liqueur-poster-1895","provider":"The Unique Maps Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}