Created in 1928 by Jeanne Thil for the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, this original French travel poster promoted maritime travel to Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. It was printed in color lithography by Crété-Corbeil in Paris. This uncommon example is an avant-la-lettre impression, without the title and shipping-company text found on the standard advertising edition. Thil constructs a richly detailed North African scene around the imposing silhouette of a camel and its rider. In the foreground, a woman dressed in brilliant red carries a large ceramic vessel, while another figure rests beside a group of green and blue melons. Additional riders, animals and travelling goods complete the composition, with a whitewashed settlement visible in the distance. The restrained palette of ochre, terracotta, olive green and turquoise evokes the heat and light of the Mediterranean landscape. Fluid outlines and transparent areas of colour give the image the character of a large watercolor. Without the commercial lettering, this avant-la-lettre version places particular emphasis on Thil’s painterly treatment and carefully balanced arrangement of figures. The Compagnie Générale Transatlantique—internationally known as the French Line—developed passenger services and organized tourist circuits throughout North Africa during the 1920s. The poster dates from the colonial period, when Algeria was governed by France and Tunisia and Morocco were French protectorates. Its generalized vision of North Africa reflects the exoticizing perspective through which French tourism advertising frequently presented these distinct territories and cultures. Jeanne Thil (1887–1968) was a French painter, illustrator and poster artist born in Calais. Following her artistic studies in Paris, she travelled extensively around the Mediterranean and North Africa, developing a particular reputation for monumental historical compositions and scenes inspired by her journeys. Its important female authorship, rare before-lettering format and connection with French maritime history make this original poster particularly desirable for collectors of travel advertising, Orientalist imagery and early twentieth-century graphic art. Original Poster North Africa - Shipping Company - Orientalism Before the letter - Cie Générale Transatlantique Good condition, creases, small tears, stains
Related
Related
Related
Related