The Art of Advent: Day Eight
By Zachary Vincent
Figure 1. Left: Jean Gabriel Domergue, Monte Carlo Flowers, 1950; Right: Marfurt, Oostende to Dover, 1931; Both courtesy of the Ross Art Group.
On this December 8th, many of us will be turning our attention to upcoming travel. Suitcases are being stuffed, trains frantically booked, all for the hope that fun and relaxation will await us on the other side of our (sometimes long) journeys. In honour of this age-old seasonal pattern, a brief look at vintage travel posters is necessary.
We love travel posters for all kinds of reasons, but mostly because they can capture the timeless spirit of a place and can be a lovely representation of popular engagement with trends in the art world. There’s a huge difference in the way posters from, say, the 1930s look to those from the 1960s. Replacing the bold blocks of colour and ultra-modern aesthetics of the period before the Second World War was something gentler, usually more naturalistic. Later in the 20th century, elements of abstraction would become popular, transforming once again the look and feel of travel posters.
Travel posters are also lovely because they are a reminder that advertising mustn’t always be dull and lifeless. At a time of year when audiences are bombarded daily with pleas to purchase every bauble and hideous jumper known to humankind, it is refreshing to see the simple use of colour, form, and airy themes to excite us about the possibilities of the world. It is really the spoonful of sugar which helps the unavoidable commercialism of December go down all the easier.
So enjoy a couple examples of vintage travel posters and dream of all your travels to come, as people have been doing for time immemorial.
Figure 2. Unknown Artist, Chicago United Airlines, c.1960s, courtesy of Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
Bibliography
Gillan, Jessie. ‘Selling the Dream: The History of the Travel Poster’. Journal of Antiques & Collectibles (forum). Accessed 4 December 2023. https://journalofantiques.com/features/selling-the-dream-the-history-of-the-travel-poster/.
Ross, Mickey. ‘How Travel Posters Journeyed from Ad to Art Form’. Invaluable (blog). Published 27 July 2016. Accessed 4 December 2023. https://www.invaluable.com/blog/how-travel-posters-journeyed-from-ad-to-art-form/.