Designed in 1937 by Marcel Mouillot, this captivating poster invites viewers to visit the Musée de la France d’Outremer et son Aquarium at the Palais de la Porte Dorée in Paris. Created during the height of France’s colonial exposition efforts, the poster reflects a period when art, politics, and exhibition design were tightly interwoven to promote the empire’s global presence and cultural influence. Mouillot frames an exotic vision through bold geometric patterns and tropical motifs: lush palms, vibrant marine life, and a majestic sailing ship evoke the distant and romanticized territories of the French colonial world. The detailed composition draws the eye inward, mimicking a diorama and reinforcing the museum’s dual identity as both a natural history attraction and a colonial showcase. Originally part of the broader visual campaign of the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne held in Paris that year, the poster reflects the propagandist aesthetics and educational mission of the Ministère des Colonies. Its call to explore overseas France—complete with an aquarium—blends natural curiosity with imperial ambition. This rare lithograph remains a striking document of its time: visually rich, historically charged, and emblematic of interwar poster art’s ability to serve both artistic and ideological purposes. Today, it stands as a collectible artifact that invites critical reflection on the complex legacy of colonial exhibitions. Colony - Exhibition - France Ministry of Colonies - Metro golden door Printed by S.A. Courbet in Paris Good condition, a trace of crease
