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Over There! Poster perspectives of World War I

Over There. British poster

 

While visiting Boston recently I encountered intense late winter weather that made me focus most of my free time on indoor activities, rather than strolling through the interesting streets of this historic city.  I enjoyed these days and visited some wonderful sites that I hope to share with you in the coming months. 

 

A highlight was a fascinating day spent at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, a large yet "manageable" collection.  Among the many excellent displays at the museum was a temporary exhibit of World War I art.  Propaganda pieces really, mostly from the USA but also from Europe and Russia, many beautifully crafted, some quite familiar.

 

Over There. American poster by James Montgomery Flagg.

 

It's been a century since World War I -- among the bloodiest of wars -- devastated Europe; my awareness of this anniversary further piqued my curiosity.  The posters captured the sentiments of the world at a time when national patriotism really meant something.   The artists very much played to people's sense of patriotism, likely to great effect.  Whether to enlist in the army and serve King or country, or to change what you eat every day, I don't think these posters would have much impact on today's tech savvy (and more cynical) generations, and maybe that's for the better.

 

It was interesting for me to study and think about these images.  Thought I'd share some of this exhibit with you:

 

 

Over There. British poster

 

Over There. British poster

 

Over There. American poster by James Montgomery Flagg

 

Over There. American Marine Recruitment poster by Charles Buckles Falls

 

Over There. Russian poster by Boris Kustodiev

 

Over There. Russian poster

 

Over There. American poster by James Montgomery Flagg

 

Over There. American poster

 

Over There. American poster by L.A. Schaffer

 

Over There. American FDA poster by Frederic G Cooper

 

Over There. American poster by John E. Sheridan

 

Over There. American poster by Fred Strothmann

 

Over There. American poster by J Scott Williams

 

Over There. American poster by Joseph Pennell

 

Over There. American poster by Joseph Christian Leydendecker

 

Over There. American poster by Ickes

 

Over There. American poster

 

Over There. Czech poster

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Images (23)
  • Over There.  American poster by James Montgomery Flagg
  • Over There.  British poster
  • Over There.  British poster
  • Over There.  British poster
  • Over There.  American poster by James Montgomery Flagg.
  • Over There.  American Marine Recruitment poster by Charles Buckles Falls
  • Over There.  Russian poster by Boris Kustodiev
  • Over There.  Russian poster
  • Over There.  American poster by James Montgomery Flagg
  • Over There.  American poster
  • Over There.  American poster by L.A. Schaffer
  • Over There.  American FDA poster by Frederic G Cooper
  • Over There.  American poster by John E. Sheridan
  • Over There.  American poster by Fred Strothmann
  • Over There.  American poster by J Scott Williams
  • Over There.  American poster by Joseph Pennell
  • Over There.  American poster by Adolph Treidler
  • Over There.  American poster by Joseph Christian Leydendecker
  • Over There.  American poster by Alonzo Earl Foringer
  • Over There.  American poster by Ickes
  • Over There.  American poster by Howard Chandler Christie
  • Over There.  American poster
  • Over There.  Czech poster

Twitter: @DrFumblefinger

"We do not take a trip, a trip takes us".  John Steinbeck, from Travels with Charlie

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