St. Moritz Travel Poster: Palace Hotel by Emil Cardinaux, 1921

Palace Hotel. St. Moritz by Emil Cardinaux (1921) invites you into the rarefied calm of Switzerland’s Engadin valley at the dawn of modern leisure travel. A leading light of early Swiss poster art, Cardinaux distills the glamour of St. Moritz into a tranquil tableau: elegantly dressed visitors in bright whites enjoy the alpine air while, beyond them, blue lake waters, deep-green pines, and pale mountain peaks recede into the distance. Created in the post–World War I boom for grand hotels and European resort culture, the work captures the effortless sophistication that made St. Moritz an international byword for style.

This listing is for a museum-quality fine art print, produced by The Unique Maps Co. on your choice of acid-free archival paper or artist’s cotton canvas. We offer a range of sizes—from intimate to statement—along with bespoke framing in classic finishes. Personalization is available, including custom sizing, margin notes, and commemorative inscriptions, so your print arrives ready to display or gift.

Emil Cardinaux (born in Bern, Switzerland) was among the pioneers who transformed travel advertising into true art. After early studies in law at his parents’ urging, he devoted himself to painting and poster design, studying in Munich and later returning to Bern. Influenced by the Bern School and the clear, disciplined aesthetics of his contemporaries, Cardinaux helped define the visual language of Swiss tourism in the early 20th century—boldly simplified forms, resonant color harmonies, and compositions that read with instant clarity from a distance.

This St. Moritz scene is more than an invitation to a hotel; it’s a portrait of a place and time. The Engadin’s crystalline light, bracing altitude, and grand-hotel culture made it a playground for cosmopolitan travelers seeking winter sport and summer repose alike. In 1921, posters like this were the height of aspirational media, beckoning rail passengers to a world of fresh air, impeccable service, and mountain serenity—all distilled into a single, compelling image.

Cardinaux’s color sensibility is a key part of the poster’s allure: a restful field of greens and blues sets the stage for the figures’ crisp white attire, creating a luminous contrast that feels both cool and inviting. Soft, flowing contours suggest breeze-touched lawns and gently rising slopes, while the mountains and forests are rendered with textural strokes that anchor the scene in nature. The elegant, uncluttered typography and clear geometry give the piece a timeless graphic punch, making it easy to pair with contemporary, classic, or alpine-inspired interiors. This is the sort of work you live with—for its calm, for its history, and for the personal memories it stirs of the Swiss Alps.

A thoughtful gift for anyone who has skied St. Moritz, hiked the Engadin, or fallen in love with Switzerland’s grand hotels. Perfect for Christmas, birthdays, Father’s or Mother’s Day, housewarmings, anniversaries, or celebrating a recent trip to the Alps.

If you're not sure what size to order, or you're looking for a custom order of some kind – a different size, a different colour, a special frame – then please contact me. I usually respond within a few minutes.

You can see an example of my fine art personalisation service in the fifth image. Zoom in and take a look. My personalised artwork is always very well received. Take a look at more examples of personalisation.

You can also choose to age your art print to make it look older. This is popular amongst my customers who want their artwork to look like an older, antique print. You can see an example of ageing in the sixth product image, or go ahead and check out lots of examples of other aged artwork.

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

I can print and frame this beautiful piece of art at sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). If you are looking for a size or framing option that isn't available online, please get in touch.

This artwork is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. My standard frames come in six colours (black, dark brown, dark grey, antique gold, oak and white), and custom framing is available for an additional charge. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.