Paul Hankar, Architect>

&quotCrespin prepared this famous poster for his good friend the Art Nouveau architect Paul Hanker (1859-1901). Hanker is shown plying his craft in his studio at 63 rue de Facqz. Fully absorbed in the act of creating, he stands in a relaxed pose, his slippered feet quaintly crossed, lazy curl of smoke rising from his cigarette. The tools of Hankar’s profession, T-squares, ruler, plumb line, become decorative framing elements. The elegant honeycomb of hexagons serves as a literal and figurative support for the architect’s beige silhouette. The bees allude, no doubt, to Hankar’s prodigious output. This poster was acclaimed in 1897 by the French art critic and poster artist Alexandre Demeure de Beaumont to be ‘perfect’ and ‘among the best, if not the best of Crespin.’ The watercolour preparatory work is preserved at the Musee d’Ixelles in Brussels&quot(Brussels, p.72)