During World War 1 the impact of the poster as a means of communication was greater than at any other time during history. The ability of poster to inspire, inform, and persuade combined with vibrant design trends in many of the participating countries to produce thousands of interesting visual works. As a valuable historical research resource, the posters provide multiple points of view for understanding this global conflict. As artistic works, the posters range in style form graphically vibrant works by well-known designers to anonymous ones.
Library of Congress, Washington D.C.
This is Part 4 of a 10-part series on WW1 posters:
Arthur Wardle (1964-1949) was born in London, aged just sixteen Wardle had a piece displayed at the Royal Academy. His first exhibit was a study of cattle by the River Thames, leading to a lifelong interest in painting animals. Wardle was prolific; until 1936 he exhibited more than 100 works at the Royal Academy. He painted a variety of animal subjects with equal skill but his work may be divided into two categories, domestic and exotic; animals from overseas including leopards, polar bears and tigers. His career was highly successful and his works continue to be sought after and widely reproduced on postcards, calendars and boxes of chocolates.
1915 The Empire Needs Men! artist Arthur Wardle |
1915 1915 The Isle of Saints and Soldiers by unknown (Ireland) |
1915 The Key to the Situation by unknown (UK) |
1915 There is Still a Place in the Line for You by unknown (UK) |
1915 Turn Your Silver into Bullets at the Post Office artist unknown (UK) |
1915 We’re Both Needed to Serve the Guns! artist unknown (UK) |
1915 Who Can Beat this Plucky Four? artist unknown (UK) |
1915 Who’s Absent? Is it you? artist unknown (UK) |
1915 Your Country’s Call. Isn’t this worth fighting for? Enlist Now artist unknown (UK) |
1915-18 The latest despatch “Send More Men!” from the Sportsman’s Battalions (published in Australia) artist Norman Keene (1886-1965 UK) |
c1915 Come into the ranks and fight for your King and Country – Don’t stay in the crowd and stare artist unknown (UK) Louis Raemaekers was a Dutch artist and cartoonist, born in Scheveningen, who gained international fame with his anti-German cartoons during WW1. Raemaekers at first painted landscapes and portraits. His first political cartoons appeared in 1907, and he joined Amsterdam’s Telegraaf in 1909. The sincerity and vigour of his wartime cartoons roused enthusiasm in England, France, and the United States, and after 1916 he lived for some years in England to supply the Allied press more easily. He was also a cartoonist during WW2. |
1916 In Belgium Help artist Louis Raemaekers |
1917 Esposizione Raemaekers (Raemaekers Exhibition) |
1916 Je Suis une Brave Poule de Guerre Je Mange Peu et Produis Beaucoup (I am a Brave War Hen, I Eat Little and Produce a Lot artist G. Douanne (aged 16 France) |
1916 Souscrivez pour la victoire (Subscribe for victory) Banque Nationale de Crédit artist M. Richard-Gutz (France) |
1915/16 Step Into Your Place recruitment poster (artist unknown UK) |
Joyce Dennys (1893-1991 was an llustrator, painter and writer, born in Simla, East Punjab State, India. Soon after studying at art school in London she completed World War I propaganda posters. She also made her name as a writer of the Doctor Dose books in the 1930s and in World War II wrote humorous articles for The Sketch magazine, reprinted in book form in the 1980s as Henrietta’s War and Henrietta Sees it Through, followed by plays and a West End musical, Kookaburra. She took up oil painting at 70, initially flowers and later pictures of Budleigh Salterton, Devon. Imperial War Museum holds her work. Lived in London.
Joyce Dennys |
1916 Women’s Royal Naval Service artist Joyce Dennys |
n.d. V.A.D. Nursing Members, Cooks, Kithen-Maids, etc Are Urgently Needed artist Joyce Dennys |
Wilhelm Batterman (1872-1964) was born in Elze, Germany – died in Hamburg 1964. He trained at the school of Heinrich Knirr in Munich and later at the Berlin Academy. He was a professor at the school of applied arts Altona, and co-founder of Altona artist’s club. He undertook numerous public commissions.
1916-18 Altona’s Opfertag (Altona Flag Day) artist Wilhelm Batterman |
Talented artist, writer, former soldier, and founder of the Scout Movement, Sir Robert Baden-Powell designed this poster to remind people there were many ways in which they could contribute to the war effort. It depicts a man contemplating a sailor, a soldier, a boy scout, a nurse, a munitions worker, and a foundry worker all doing their part towards achieving victory.
c1916 Are You in this? artist Lieutenant-General Sir R S S Baden-Powell |
Vincent Aderente (1880 Naples, Italy-1941 Bayside, Queens) was an Italian American muralist. He studied at the Art Students League, and worked on the Waldorh-Astoria Ballroom. He was an assistant to Edwin Blashfield.
His work can be found at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, the Denver Mint, the Detroit Public Library, the House Chamber in the Utah State Capitol Building,
the U.S. Post Office in Flushing, Queens, the Queens County Court House, Kings County Hospital, the Long Island Savings Bank, and Codington County Courthouse (1929). He lived in Queens. His papers are in the Archives of American Art, and the Detroit Public Library.
c1916 Columbia Calls artist Vincent Aderente (1880-1941 USA) |
c1916 The Freedom of the Seas from the Hun Point of View artist David Wilson (UK) |
1917 4 Reasons for buying Victory Bonds artist unknown (USA) |
Mihály Bíró (1886-1948 Austria-Hungary) A student of Antal Lorántfi and István Groh at the School of Applied Arts between the years 1903 and 1907. From 1908 he studied in Berlin, Paris and London on a Ministerial scholarship. He won first prize in the poster competition of the journal The Studio. After his return from England he first worked as a sculptor and prepared designs for posters. He garnered his first reel success with a poster for the newspaper Népszava. He also designed costumes and stage sets for the Új Színház [New Theatre]. He went into exile to Vienna after the fall of the Hungarian Soviet Republic, publishing his Horthy-album there. He settled in Berlin but had to take refuge from the growing threat of Nazism first in Vienna in 1933, and then in Pozsony (Bratislava). From 1938 onwards he lived in Paris, returning to Hungary in poor health in 1947.
Note: A series on the works of Mihály Bíró can be found in the index of this blog.
1917 A Háborus Orvostudomány Csodái (The Miracles of War Medicine) artist Mihály Bíró |
1917 Jegyezzünk hadikölcsönt (Let’s take out a war loan) artist Mihály Bíró |
Anti-war poster by the Social Democratic Party of Hungary artist Mihály Bíró |
Fritz Erler (1868-1940), along with Arthur Kampf, was one of the official military painters for the Oberste Heeressleitung (Supreme Army Command). His paintings were commissioned as war propaganda. The promotional poster for the Sixth War Bond (sechste Kriegsanleihe) was adorned with his painting Helft uns siegen! (1917), perhaps Erler’s best-known work. It brought in at least 13.1 million marks more than any other campaign.
1916 The First Stahlhelm artist Fritz Erler |
1917 And You artist Fritz Erler |
1917 Helft uns siegen! Zeichnet die Kriegsanleihe (Help us But War Bonds) artist Fritz Erler |
1916 Aufwärts (Upwards) artist Fritz Erler |
Alfred Roller (1864-1935) was an Austrian painter, graphic designer, and set designer. His wife was Mileva Roller and they were members of the Viennese Secession movement.
1917 And you? Subscribe to the 7th war loan at the imperial royal privileged Austrian Credit-Institute for commerce and industry artist Alfred Roller |
Wladyslaw Theodor Benda (1873 Poznán, Poland – 1948 Newark, New Jersey) was a Polish American painter, illustrator, and designer. He studied art in Kraków, Poland, and in Vienna before moving to America in 1899. He settled in New York City, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1911. Benda’s illustrations were published in books and in a number of magazines. He is best remembered for his masks, which were used in theatre and dance performances throughout the world. Benda wrote the book Masks (1944).
1917 Armia Polska We Francyi Polish Army In France artist W.T. Benda |
1917 Give Or We Perish artist W.T. Benda |
1917 Polacy! Kosciuszko i Putaski walczyli za wolnosc i innych narodow! (Polish people! Kościuszko and Putaski fought for the freedom of other nations!) artist W.T. Benda |
1917 You Can Help American Red Cross artist W.T. Benda |
1918 When The Boys Come Home artist W.T. Benda |
Polish War Relief artist W.T. Benda |
Sladami Ojcow Naszyych w Szeregach Armii Polskiej za Ojczyzne i Wolnosc (In the footsteps of our fathers in the ranks of the Polish Army for Homeland and Freedom) artist W.T. Benda |
Paul C. Stahr (1883–1953) was an American illustrator who created many posters, book and magazine covers, particularly for Pulps. Stahr illustrated numerous covers for Argosymagazine from 1923 to 1936. He was long term resident of Long Beach, New York.
1917 Be Patriotic sign your country’s pledge to save the food artist Paul C. Stahr (USA) |
Eugenie DeLand was a high school art teacher, and one of the relatively few women artists to create propaganda posters during WWI.
1917 Before Sunset artist Eugenie DeLand (USA) |
James Montgomery Flagg (1877-1960) was an American artist known for his work in fine art painting, cartooning, and illustration, particularly political posters. Influenced by John Singer Sargent, Flagg was born in 1877 in Pelham, New York, United States. He studied at the Art Students League of New York and spent his later years in Biddeford Pool, Maine, United States. Flagg passed away in 1960 in New York City, New York, United States. His works are exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery.
1917 Boys and Girls! artist James Montgomery Flagg (USA) |
1917 Help Him to Help Us artist James Montgomery Flagg (USA) |
1917 I want you for U.S. Army artist James Montgomery Flagg (USA) |