Chas. & John Michel’s Vintage Export Lager Beer Poster, 1879

Created by Wittemann Bros. in 1879, Chas. & John Michel’s Export Lager Beer, La Crosse Brewery, La Crosse, Wis. turns a regional beer advertisement into an elaborate theatrical spectacle. At its centre, a king-like figure in a richly ornamented red-and-white costume raises a glass in salute. Bottles stand prominently to either side, while columns, trailing foliage and draped fabric frame a distant view of the brewery. The result is both celebratory and carefully ordered: product, proprietor and place are brought together within a single, emphatic composition.

This chromolithographic trade advertisement belongs to a period when increasingly vivid commercial printing allowed American businesses to address consumers through colour, ornament and narrative rather than words alone. Lager brewing had become a conspicuous part of nineteenth-century urban and regional culture, particularly in communities shaped by Central European immigration. Here, the La Crosse Brewery is presented not simply as a manufacturer but as a substantial civic enterprise. Its architecture and smoking chimney convey industry and productivity, while the regal toast lends the beer an air of ceremony, hospitality and established reputation.

A closer look

The vertical design is constructed like a stage. The principal figure occupies the immediate foreground, his pale garments and white trim set sharply against the saturated crimson of his costume. Gold-coloured embroidery and fine linear details articulate the sleeves, bodice and accessories, while subtle shadows give his body greater volume than the flatter decorative elements around him. His raised glass forms the visual climax of the pose: a small, bright object held aloft amid the denser reds, browns and greens.

Behind him, the brewery appears at a markedly smaller scale, creating a layered passage from pageantry to production. The low industrial buildings recede into muted beige and brown tones, and smoke curling from a chimney suggests an establishment in active operation. This comparatively restrained background is surrounded by richer framing devices: leafy vines twist around the columns, fabric gathers overhead, and red, white and blue banners enliven the upper section. These elements create a visual association between the brewery, public celebration and American commercial identity without distracting from the central act of drinking.

Typography provides the composition with a second architectural framework. “CHAS. & JOHN MICHEL’S” commands the upper portion in bold lettering, establishing ownership before the eye reaches the figure. “EXPORT LAGER BEER” appears prominently in blue below, its cool colour standing out against the warmer reds and yellows around it. At the base, “LA CROSSE BREWERY, LA CROSSE, WIS.” anchors the scene geographically. The flanking bottles reinforce that hierarchy, each functioning simultaneously as a recognisable product and as a decorative upright echoing the columns.

Context and significance

Commercial chromolithography was particularly well suited to imagery of this kind. Multiple areas of saturated colour, crisp contours and small descriptive details could be combined in designs intended to seize attention while communicating reliability and abundance. Wittemann Bros. deploys those qualities with notable density: ornamental lettering, costume, architectural detail and product branding are integrated rather than treated as separate pieces of information.

The poster also records a changing language of American advertising. Its appeal rests less on a factual account of brewing than on a carefully assembled public identity—modern production in the background, ceremonial enjoyment in the foreground and the brewery’s Wisconsin location stated with pride below. What remains especially engaging is this meeting of two worlds: the practical industrial landscape of La Crosse and the extravagant, almost courtly fantasy created to promote its lager.

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.