Far and Wide: The Golden Age of Travel Posters

Speed, style and grace — these epitomize the Golden Age of travel in its simplest form.

The 1920’s and 1930’s ushered in an unprecedented era of travel to exotic and romantic destinations. And nowhere was this more clearly expressed than in the travel posters of that time. The Los Angeles Public Library ’s collection of travel posters perfectly captures this era. With this exhibition, the Library shares its bounty with the public for the first time.

Among the highlights are two posters issued for the 1936 Munich Olympics; steamship posters for the NYK Lines, the Orient Lines, and the Grace Lines; and outstanding airline posters for Air France and Pan American. Most of the posters share an Art Deco sensibility; however, there are two wonderful examples of Futurist design. All the posters capture the essence of this era in a way that no other medium can.

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