{"product_id":"excise-officers-in-search-of-alcohol-vintage-drinks-poster-1919","title":"Excise Officers in Search of Alcohol – Vintage Drinks Poster, 1919","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDe accijnzen op zoek naar alkool\u003c\/em\u003e (“Excise officers in search of alcohol”), produced by Lith. Delko in 1919, turns the pursuit of illicit drink into a bustling two-part comedy. Across a horizontal format, an animated street scene is paired with an equally disorderly interior: civilians confront officials, a ladder is raised towards a suspected hiding place, and every corner seems to contain another gesture, object or suspicious onlooker. Warm browns and ochre yellows are punctuated by red and blue, while strong dark outlines give the crowded narrative immediate graphic clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCreated in Belgium in the immediate aftermath of the First World War, the print belongs to a lively tradition of popular satire directed at recognisable social and political tensions. Excise duties, restrictions on alcohol and the illicit trade in liquor offered rich material for caricature: regulations imposed by officialdom could be recast as farce, with the authorities’ determination matched by the ingenuity—or comic indignation—of those being searched. Lithography was particularly suited to such imagery, allowing sharp drawing, broad colour and an easily grasped visual story to work together for wide public circulation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eA closer look\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe left-hand panel unfolds in the street, where buildings and shop signs create a busy commercial setting behind the principal action. A woman and several men cluster around the excise officers, their exaggerated expressions ranging from anxiety to theatrical exasperation. Near the lower right, a man in a top hat appears to drink despite the commotion, a neatly placed visual joke that makes the officials’ task seem still more absurd. Beside him, a small dog with its tail raised contributes another note of restless energy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn the right, the investigation moves indoors. One officer climbs a ladder towards an upper recess while another watches from behind an open door, extending the search both vertically and into the depth of the room. A barrel, tools and assorted objects lie scattered below, their haphazard arrangement suggesting that the inspection has disrupted the space. Further back, seated figures at tables establish a café-like setting; rather than forming a passive background, they become an audience within the scene, observing the official activity much as the poster’s viewers do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe division into two panels gives the satire the rhythm of a comic strip. Variations in height—from crouching and seated figures to the officer elevated on the ladder—keep the eye moving across the densely packed scenes. Costume patterns, emphatic gestures and flashes of brighter colour prevent the numerous characters from merging into a single crowd. Bold serif lettering provides a formal counterweight to the unruly action, while the prominent title beneath the left panel identifies the subject with the directness of a newspaper caption.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eContext and significance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe humour depends upon a familiar contrast between bureaucratic procedure and everyday life. Excise officers appear not as remote administrators but as conspicuous participants in an urban spectacle, searching doors, rooms and hidden spaces while civilians react around them. By setting the pursuit in both public and semi-private surroundings, Lith. Delko broadens the joke: the hunt for alcohol seems capable of spilling into every part of the social world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat gives the print its enduring interest is the close alliance between observation and caricature. Street architecture, tables, barrels and commercial signs anchor the episode in ordinary experience, yet the crowded staging and heightened expressions transform regulation into visual theatre. The result is at once a period document of Belgian graphic culture and a sharply readable comedy of suspicion, concealment and official zeal.\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=\"\/fr\/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 18x24in (45x60cm) 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=\"\/fr\/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=\"\/fr\/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=\"\/fr\/pages\/custom-framing\"\u003especialist framing\u003c\/a\u003e are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003econtact our workshop\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"8x10in (20x25cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640732221831,"sku":null,"price":227.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"8x10in (20x25cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640732254599,"sku":null,"price":545.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"8x10in (20x25cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67640732287367,"sku":null,"price":636.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A4 (210x297mm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67640732320135,"sku":null,"price":227.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A4 (210x297mm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67640732352903,"sku":null,"price":545.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true},{"title":"A4 (210x297mm) \/ Framed 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