FRENCH AND AMERICAN
POSTER ART -
FIRST WORLD WAR
We are pleased to
announce the acquisition of an important collection of
French and American Posters of the World War I era
The collection consists of French
and American WWI propaganda posters (1914-1919). Wartime posters were not solely
used to recruit men to the military cause. Many posters commonly urged wartime
thrift, and were vocal in seeking funds from the general public via subscription
to various war bond schemes (usually with great success).
Most of the posters offered here
are multi-color lithographs. Sizes range approximately 47 x 31 inches (or the
reverse) and smaller. Each poster is priced separately.
Artists include George Dorival; “Sem”; Jules Abel Faivre; Maurice Neumont; Lieut. Jean Droit;
Eugene Courboin; Geoges Scott; Dominique Charles Fouqueray; E. Dunn;
Cushman Parker; Horace Devitt Welsh; William Crawford Young; Alfred Everitt Orr;
and others.
A sampling of a few of the posters:
Page 2
“Debout dans Tranchée que
L’Aurore Éclaire,
Le Soldat Rève À La Victoire
et à
Son Foyer. Pour qu’il
Puisse Assurer L’une
Et Retrouver L’Autre. Souscrivez au 3e.
Emprunt
de la Défense Nationale.”
(“Standing in a trench at dawn, the soldier dreams of victory
and of home.
He must ensure the one to return to the other. Subscribe to the
3rd National
Defense Loan.”)
Size: 46¾ x 30¾
Artist: Lieut’t. Jean Droit, 226e
Printer: Devambez. Gr. (image) & Berger–Levrault, Imp. Paris–Nancy
(text).
Price: $600.
Image: A French soldier stands upright in a trench at dawn, day-dreaming
of victory and home. He knows
he must guarantee victory to go home once again.
Notes: Linen-backed with linen extending 2½” above the top of the
poster. Slight wrinkling at lower left,
but a very nice example.
History: This item is one of the very few
posters by French Lieutenant Jean Droit. His illustrations were a
tribute to the prowess and determination of the modern French soldier. He
portrayed the French
soldier as
battle-hardened, tough and well-equipped with the most up-to-date
weapons.
“Le Cardinal Mercier Protège la Belgique” (“Cardinal Mercier Protects
Belgium”)
Size: 47 x 31
Artist: Dominique Charles Fouqueray
Date: 1916
Printer: Lapina. Imp. Paris.
Price:
SOLD
Image: Lithographed in multi-colors, this full-page image shows Cardinal
Mercier (Archbishop of Malines)
wearing scarlet robe, cope and mitre, crozier in hand, the other arm stretched
protectively over
pleading figures
of Belgians (one in handcuffs).
Notes: Linen-backed with linen extending 2½” above the top of the
poster. A fine example.
History: Cardinal Mercier drew attention
to the current German policy in occupied Belgium of deporting
unemployed Belgian
men to Germany
to provide what was in essence forced labor. This was just one of a series
of
protests he instigated
from occupied Belgium. His protests secured widespread distribution and thus
gained
him international
renown; it was this celebrity which prevented the German authorities in Belgium
from
suppressing
his activities.
“Le Retour au Foyer... Secours immédiats aux Regions Libérées
[Reconstitution
du mobilier]” (“The Return to the Home...
Immediate help to the Freed Regions
[We need to
Rebuild]”)
Size: 46½ x 31
Sponsor: Le Retour au Foyer. Société autorisée par
décision Ministérielle 20 Octobre 1917
Artist: Maurice Neumont
Date: 1917
Printer: Lapina. Imp. Paris. (Visa: No. 14673)
Price: SOLD
Image: A haunting image showing orphaned children and their cat standing
paralyzed in the rubble of a
destroyed building.
Notes: Linen-backed with linen extending 3” above the top of the poster.
History: Near the end of the war, the Germans were
driven out of various towns and regions. The need was
immediate for money to rebuild and bring normalcy back to the areas. Many
posters, like this,
promoted the need
for immediate funds to rebuild liberated areas. “Le Retour au
Foyer” (sponsor/publisher) was a company authorized
to collect funds by a ministerial decision
on October 20, 1917.
“Pour le dernier quart d’houre.., aidez moi!.. Les Souscriptions a l’Emprunt
National sont reçues a la Banque Nationale de Crédit” (“For the final
quarter
of an hour,
Help me! Subscriptions for the National Loan are received at the
National Bank of Credit”)
Size: 30¼ x 46½
Sponsor: Banque Nationale de Crédit
Artist: Sem
Date: c.1918
Printer: Devambez, Imp. Paris (Visa No. 13402)
Price:
SOLD
Image: Heavily equipped French ‘polius’ advance through No Mans Land,
passing General Henri Philippe
Pétain, who stands with his staff officers in the
foreground right, with the caption, “Pour le dernier
quart d’heure..,
aidez-moi!..” (“For the last 15 minutes… Help me!”)
Notes: Linen-backed with linen extending 2¾” above the top of the
poster. A fine example.
History: General Henri Philippe Pétain was
honored as a national hero for his defense of Verdun during World
War I. In February 1916 Pétain was ordered to defend the fortress at Verdun at
all costs. The massive
German attack
lasted six months but was foiled by a fierce defense and Pétain’s
skillful organization of
supply. After Foch was
given command of all Allied forces in 1918, Pétain
directed the French armies
in the offensives that ended the war.
In November 1918 he was made marshal of
France.
“Sugar means Ships.
The consumption of sugar sweetened drinks must be reduced.
For your beverages 400 million lbs. of sugar were imported in ships last
year. Every ship is needed
to carry soldiers and supplies now.”
Size: 15½ x 19
Sponsor: United States Food Administration + Committee on Public
Information, Division of Pictorial Publicity
Artist: E. Dunn
Date: c.1918
Printer: The Carey Printing Company (New York)
Price: $200.
Image: An
effective and clever black & white poster asking for a reduction in sugar intake
to free up ships for
the war effort. A young “Gibson Girl,”
representing the population, is sitting on the East coast drinking
through a
straw in a soda fountain glass, while convoys carrying soldiers and
supplies sail to a war-torn
Europe. Many of the
ships (now labeled, sugar) are siphoned off and drawn back
to the USA by the
suction of the woman’s straw as she
drinks. Europe is shown as billowing clouds rise saying “War.”
A soldier stands over war-torn Europe crying “Hurry!”
Notes:
Printed in black & white. A fine example.
History: Many ships
were diverted from the war effort by carring imported sugar to the United
States. This poster,
issued by the U.S. Food Administration and the Committee on Public Information
implores people to
reduce their
intake of sugar-sweetened drinks. Many citizens, following the
advice of their government,
used honey and molasses
to sweeten drinks.
“Little
Americans Do your bit. Eat Oatmeal, Corn meal mush - Hominy - other corn
cereals - and Rice with milk. Save the wheat for our soldiers. Leave nothing on
your plate.”
Size: 21 x 14
Sponsor: United States Food Administration. No. 21
Artist: Cushman Parker
Date: c.1918
Printer: Not indicated, but Government
Printing Office
Price:
Sold
Image: An
effective poster showing a young boy saluting, with a bowl of cereal next to
him.
Notes:
Printed in color, primarily in blue and red. A fine example. Minor crease to
upper right corner and
slight wrinkling to lower left corner. Overall, a fine example.
History: This poster
is small, but effective. It is printed (primarily) in American red and blue on a
white back-ground. The message is clear: save wheat for the soldiers and waste nothing.
This poster was also issued
on
cardboard stock. The paper version, as offered here, is somewhat scarcer,
especially when found
in good condition.
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