Georges Gaudy’s Advocaat & Knickebein, dated 1905, builds its sales pitch around a convivial encounter between two richly characterised drinkers. One, white-bearded and dressed in a dark coat and hat, raises a filled glass with an expression of comic surprise; beside him, a more colourfully dressed companion gestures as if recommending the contents. Their animated faces occupy the heart of the composition, framed by warm orange, deep brown and creamy beige, with bright blue lettering supplying a sharp graphic counterpoint.

Gaudy, a Belgian artist born in 1872, worked at a time when illustrated advertising was becoming an increasingly assertive part of European street life. Posters had to communicate quickly, often at a distance, and this design combines the immediacy of caricature with an orderly commercial hierarchy: command, scene and product name. Advocaat and Knickebein were both associated with egg-based alcoholic drinks, making the two approving figures more than decorative characters; their exchange turns consumption into a small theatrical performance of discovery and recommendation.

A closer look

Across the upper section, the words “DÉPOT ICI” appear in large blue capitals against a strong red-orange field. The phrase functions almost like a signboard, announcing that the drink is stocked here. Its cool colour cuts through the predominantly warm palette, while the thin blue border gathers the busy interior into a single, clearly defined unit. At the lower edge, “ADVOCAT & KNICKEBEIN” forms a weighty typographic base, ensuring that the advertised names remain legible beneath the more anecdotal scene above.

The two men are closely cropped, bringing their expressions and gestures forward. Gaudy differentiates them through costume as much as physiognomy: the left-hand figure’s dark clothing and pale beard create a pronounced tonal contrast, while the companion’s patterned waistcoat introduces checks, stripes and brighter notes. Crisp outlines separate both figures from the decorative background, and small highlights on their faces and glasses give the otherwise flat colour a lively glint.

Behind them, a tiled or chequered wall supplies another layer of pattern without competing with the faces. Overlapping forms provide a modest sense of depth, but the poster remains emphatically graphic rather than illusionistic. Even the glass is simplified into a readable silhouette. The result is carefully controlled: intricate detail is concentrated in the beard, wrinkles and patterned clothing, while the surrounding blocks of colour remain broad enough to register immediately.

Context and significance

Early twentieth-century beverage advertising frequently relied on recognisable social types, humour and appetite rather than lengthy explanation. Gaudy’s design follows that logic with particular economy. The jovial pair embody the pleasures of sociability, but they also guide the eye: the raised glass identifies the product category, the gesture carries attention across the composition, and the bold lettering fixes the brand names in memory. The tonal warmth suggests the atmosphere of a café or drinks merchant, while the direct “DÉPOT ICI” gives the poster a practical retail purpose.

What makes Advocaat & Knickebein

Choosing the right size and finish

Artwork 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.

If you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, ask our workshop for advice.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this art print.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. See examples of personalised artwork.

Choose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. See examples of our Aged artwork.

Every 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.

Framed 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.

Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, contact our workshop.

This artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.