was increasingly sophisticated, as propaganda posters not only had been refined in World War I, but also during the Bolshevik Civil War, the Spanish Civil War and the political struggles of the Twenties and Thirties. Modern marketing research techniques were often called upon to hone the poster techniques of the major powers.
In general, these trends pushed the poster to be more realistic and less abstract. Photography increasingly replaced illustration as a way to improve credibility to a more knowledgeable and skeptical populace. A fine example is “This is my fight too”, showing a photograph of a young working woman examining her war bonds.
This year, International Poster Gallery mounted an exhibition entitled “Paper Wars,” a fascinating exhibition comparing and contrasting the poster campaigns of combatants in World War I and II. Featuring nearly 50 revealing images, some famous and others rarely seen, the exhibition runs through June, 2011. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday noon to 6 pm. The Gallery is located at 205 Newbury Street in Boston. Call (617) 375-0076 or visit www.internationalposter.com for information.
In addition to gallery shows and special exhibitions, IPG’s award-winning website, www.internationalposter.com offers the largest, most comprehensive online collection of vintage advertising posters in the world. Originally launched in 1998, the site contains nearly 4,500 images accessible through a powerful search engine.
