27 inspiring examples of vintage posters
Our pick of the very best vintage posters to inspire you.
16. Monaco 75
This striking vintage poster for the 1975 Monaco Grand Prix was created by talented artist Michael Turner. Turner let his illustration do all the talking, opting for minimal type and a strong image. The vibrant and eye-catching colour palette puts the car centre-stage, accompanied by a beautiful illustration of Monaco in the background.
17. Tomorrowland
Disneyland has been using silk-screen posters since 1956 to give visitors a taste of the attractions inside. The theme park area that inspired the most brilliant designs was sci-fi-focused Tomorrowland. This Space Station X-1 graced the park's walls in the late 1950s. It promoted a ride that took visitors to view a large painted panorama of the continent via a rotating platform.
18. Normandie
Cassandre created this image to promote travel on the famous ocean liner Normandie. The design has since become an icon of 20th century Art Deco and Modernist poster design. A worm's eye view emphasises the ship's size, as well as creating some drama within the poster. The original design features the name of the ship underneath it, however, a few rare variants can be found with the type replaced with 'New York'. Amazon has a giclee print here.
19. Austin Reed
Regarded by many as one of the finest commercial artists of the 20th century, British artist Tom Purvis created countless poster designs during the 1930s, one of the most famous being his campaign for retailer Austin Reed. The above design was created for the store in Leeds, Yorkshire.
20. Canadian Pacific Railway
This iconic design was part of a campaign for Canadian Pacific Railway during the 1940s and 50s. The series was created by Canadian artist Peter Ewart, whose commercial career was inspired by the likes of Cassandre and Tom Purvis. Ewart's dynamic designs and illustrations caught the eye of many, and led to a 17-year relationship with Canadian Pacific, during which time the artist designed 24 posters and two serigraphic prints for the company.
21. New York's World Fair
Austria-born Joseph Binder is the designer behind this beautiful vintage poster for the 1939 New York World's Fair. Titled 'Building the World of Tomorrow', the fair's main purpose was to try to lift the spirits of the US following the peak of the Great Depression, and drive business to New York City.
During this period a renewed belief in science and technology provided hope and a much-needed antidote to the general feeling of hopelessness and confusion. Binder's brilliant design offered a stylised version of that better world of tomorrow.
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22. Artistide Bruant
Aristide Bruant's was a well-known cabaret singer, comedian, and nightclub owner in late 19th Century Paris. Famous French painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created this poster to promote his café-cabaret at the Ambassador's in 1866. Several years later, the design would be flipped to created a new poster promoting a different show by the performer. The eye-catching illustration makes an impact with simple outlines and a pared-back colour palette comprised of solid blocks of colour.
23. A Willette exposition
Jules Chéret was a French poster illustrator and graphic designer often celebrated as the father of the modern poster. During his career, he created hundreds of posters for cabarets, theatres, well-known brands and expositions, including this one for artist A Willette. Chéret's composition shows careful consideration, drawing the eye to the dominating central figure, and also using prominent hand-lettered titles, areas of glowing colour and a simple background.
24. Orangina
This humorous Orangina poster was created by graphic artist Bernard Villemot, who created equally memorable designs for Bally and Perrier. Villemot used simple, elegant lines and bold colours to produce his light-hearted, contemporary designs. Since his death, his iconic images have become increasingly sought-after by vintage poster collectors.
25. La Goulue
This poster design for the Moulin Rouge is another by French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. When the cabaret opened, Toulouse-Lautrec was commissioned to create a series of posters, with this design being one of his most well known. The piece captures Moulin Rouge dancer La Goulue ('the Glutton') in a provocative pose, with the lanky frame of partner Valentin le Desosse silhouetted in the foreground. The scene captures the decadence of the Parisian nightclub perfectly.
26. Bitter Campari
Italian painter and art designer Leonetto Cappiello designed this beautiful Bitter Campari poster in 1921. Cappiello's work caught people's attention immediately, with many of his creations featuring bold figures popping out of black backgrounds – a startling contrast to the posters seen up until that point. He is now often referred to as the father of modern advertising because of his innovation in poster design.
27. Tintin Orange
In 1962, illustrator of the Tintin comics, Georges Remi (aka Hergé), collaborated with French graphic artist Raymond Savignac on this vibrant print advertising the Tintin Orange Soda soft drink. This is just one of many striking posters by Savignac – the talented artist also created various designs for Pepsi and Perrier during his career.
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