May 21, 2009 - Sale 2181

Sale 2181 - Lot 70

Price Realized: $ 10,200
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 8,000 - $ 12,000
A. M. CASSANDRE (ADOLPHE MOURON, 1901-1968) NORMANDIE. 1935.
39x24 1/2 inches, 99x62 cm. Alliance Graphique, Paris.
Condition B+: creases and abrasions in margins and image; minor repaired tears and restoration at edges; restoration along vertical and horizontal folds.
A pillar in the pantheon of modern poster design, Cassandre's unforgettable image has entered the mainstream of the graphic vernacular. Attention is often drawn to the "lofty symmetry and steep upward angle" (Mouron p. 67) of the composition and to the small flock of gulls which help to convey the size of this floating palace. Yet, seen head-on, this liner displays a grace and smoothness of curves that belie its massive size; even the small amount of water being churned up by its mighty keel seems to suggest that the boat is literally gliding through the ocean. Several other variations of this poster exist, all boasting the same monumental image, but differing in their text; one announces the ship's maiden voyage, and another announces "service régulier." Mouron 56, Tourism 19, La Mer 137, Schipp & Affiche 30, Brown pl. 53, Weill 345.