PIERRE FIX-MASSEAU (1905-1994) EXACTITUDE. 1932. 39x24 inches, 99x61 cm. Edita, Paris. Condition A- / B+: restored losses and repaired tears at edges; creases and restoration in margins and image. In one of the classic railroad images to emerge from the Art Deco era, Fix-Masseau uses the geometric images of the triangle of the station roof, the circle and rectangle at the front of the train and the squares on the platform to create a powerful image. Most often compared to Cassandre's Nord Express in its use of perspective, Fix-Masseau captures an entirely different element of train travel than is featured in Cassandre's romanticized image - punctuality. Using warm colors and by prominently displaying the station clock as the train pulls in, the artist emphasizes his message - written across the top of the poster in a typeface that is as streamlined as the design of the train itself. Modern Poster 171 Weill 382, Art Deco p. 63, Affiche Art Deco p. 63, Crouse p. 259.
