KEE Coffee Surrogate c.1920 by Luciano Achille Mauzan – Vibrant Egyptian Art Deco Coffee Advertising Poster

KEE Coffee Substitute – Exotic Art Deco Advertising by Achille Luciano Mauzan

Bring the theatrical imagination of early Italian advertising to your kitchen or coffee space with KEE Surrogato di Caffè, a striking circa 1920 poster by celebrated illustrator Achille Luciano Mauzan. Created to promote a coffee substitute produced or distributed in Brescia, Italy, the composition uses an elaborate fantasy figure and carefully balanced products to present KEE as a complete beverage experience.

Against a deep black background, a four-armed figure inspired by European fantasies of ancient Egyptian art sits gracefully in a cross-legged pose. The vividly patterned costume combines brilliant yellow, red, blue, green, white, and gold with an ornate headdress, broad decorative collar, geometric bodice, bracelets, and stylized footwear.

Each of the figure’s four hands performs a different role. The upper hands display packages and a bottle of KEE, while the lower hands present trays containing small cups and serving vessels. This symmetrical arrangement communicates abundance and effortless preparation, making the central character appear almost like a theatrical deity devoted to the advertised beverage.

Large white lettering announces the KEE brand, while the green inscription “Surrogato di Caffè – Brescia” identifies the product as a coffee substitute associated with the northern Italian city. The simplified typography, strong symmetry, geometric costume, and intense color contrasts give the poster an early Art Deco character.

Mauzan was known for using imaginative characters, exaggerated visual ideas, and dark backgrounds to make commercial products immediately memorable. This unusual composition is particularly suitable for kitchens, coffee bars, breakfast nooks, cafés, restaurants, eclectic interiors, and collections devoted to Italian advertising or historic coffee culture.

The figure represents a European advertising fantasy rather than an archaeologically accurate portrayal of ancient Egyptian culture. Its imagery should be understood within the period’s commercial fascination with Egypt and exoticized historical themes.

Why Collectors Value This Print

• Created by celebrated poster artist Achille Luciano Mauzan
• Historic Italian advertisement for KEE
• Promotes a vintage coffee substitute
• Associated with Brescia in northern Italy
• Features a dramatic four-armed fantasy figure
• Symmetrical pose creates exceptional visual balance
• Displays KEE packages, bottle, cups, and serving pieces
• Rich red, yellow, blue, green, black, and white palette
• Strong example of early Art Deco advertising
• Reflects the period’s fascination with Egyptian-inspired design
• Ideal artwork for coffee bars and breakfast spaces
• Distinctive décor for cafés and restaurants
• Appealing gift for coffee-history collectors
• Strong vertical composition with bold typography
• Museum-grade reproduction from Yesterday’s Posters

Available Print & Display Options

• Fine Art Prints
• Framed Fine Art Prints
• Gallery-Wrapped Canvas
• Black Floater Frame Canvas
• White Floater Frame Canvas
• Brown Floater Frame Canvas
• Natural Floater Frame Canvas
• Metal Prints

Choose an unframed fine-art print for traditional presentation or select a framed print, gallery-wrapped canvas, floater-frame canvas, or metal print for a colorful, ready-to-display beverage-art centerpiece.

Artwork Details

• Title: KEE – Surrogato di Caffè
• Artist: Achille Luciano Mauzan
• Date: Circa 1920
• Country of Origin: Italy
• Location Shown: Brescia, Italy
• Historic Brand: KEE
• Product Advertised: Coffee substitute
• Original Language: Italian
• Subject: Four-armed fantasy figure displaying KEE products and serving coffee
• Notable Imagery: Product packages, bottle, cups, trays, ornate headdress, and geometric costume
• Style: Early Art Deco, vintage Italian advertising, Egyptian-inspired commercial fantasy
• Primary Colors: Black, white, scarlet red, golden yellow, green, royal blue, and gray
• Mood: Theatrical, symmetrical, exoticized, and visually commanding
• Recommended Spaces: Kitchens, coffee stations, breakfast nooks, cafés, restaurants, bakeries, home bars, and eclectic vintage interiors

Disclaimer

This artwork is a Museum Grade Reproduction of a Historical advertising poster.

This decorative reproduction is not an original antique lithograph. Minor differences in color, texture, scale, and cropping may occur among the available materials and display formats.

This historical advertisement uses an imaginative, European-created interpretation of ancient Egyptian culture rather than an authentic historical representation. It is reproduced as a document of graphic-design and advertising history, not as an endorsement of cultural stereotyping or historical inaccuracy.

Yesterday’s Posters is an independent seller and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by KEE, Achille Luciano Mauzan’s estate, or any associated rights holders.