Posters and Broadsides

In the 19th century, posters were essentially non-illustrative, consisting of print with little lithographic embellishment, apart from the occasional use of graphic fonts. They were used to promote meetings, lectures, upcoming referenda, and, occasionally, simply to advance a message. While the poster continued in this non-pictorial form into the 20th century, a new type also emerged, that of the artist poster, generally printed in bright colors with magnificent illustrations often featuring allegorical imagery.

Famous artists such as Rose O’Neill and Pulitzer Prize Winner, C.D. Batchelor contributed to the effort. In England, two groups were formed to design posters and post cards, the Suffrage Atelier and the Artists’ Suffrage League. In both countries, posters were not only mounted on walls but also carried in special poster parades that could involve international participation. With the advent of WWI, a new theme began to emerge, the patriotism of women who were contributing to the War Cause by not only volunteering their time but also supporting their sons who had been sent to the front. Did they not deserve the vote in return?