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German History in Documents and Images
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International Hygiene Exhibition in Dresden (May-October 1911)
Dresden was one of the centers of cultural life in Wilhelmine Germany. It enjoyed a reputation for both staid conservatism and artistic experimentation. This poster, designed by the celebrated Symbolist artist Franz von Stuck (1863-1928), advertises the Dresden International Hygiene Exhibition (1911), which featured displays on modern technology, medical science, and public health. The brainchild and creation of the industrialist and manufacturer Karl August Lingner (1861-1916), the exhibition was the first of its kind and drew more than five million visitors. The event led to the 1912 founding of the German Hygiene Museum [Deutsches Hygiene-Museum], which organized exhibits on everything from new hygienic technologies to food science, raising public awareness about how modern science could improve society. The museum retains the image of the eye, seen on this poster, as part of its logo today.