Prior to World War I (1914-1918), tourism brought much notoriety and prosperity to European cities and towns. Europe was left in shambles after the war and faced an uphill battle of rebuilding. Promoting travel to foreigners during the 1930s helped bring about a return to the hustle and bustle of life. At the heart of such activities was the production and distribution of travel posters.

Much of this work, however, was undone as a result of World War II. Europe was once again in a position of rebuilding. Efforts to reinvigorate tourism called forth new imagery for the production of travel posters. Artists were employed to create eye-catching designs for posters that would be distributed around the world.

More than half of the posters in the collection, donated by Elma Prat, date to the interwar period (between WWI and WWII). Although the images were created by fine and commercial artists, travel posters were not considered works of art. They served as utilitarian items to be displayed in public spaces, in travel agencies, train stations, and other venues specializing in tourism. As a result, most of the posters show significant signs of wear and tear, and denote the prolific use on a grand scale.

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Opens Sep 21*-Dec 12, 2020

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