- Paperback: 160 pages
- Publisher: Laurence King (January 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1856690148
- ISBN-13: 978-1856690140
The National Railway Museum in York has a large and varied collection of
railway art and artefacts; this books shows over 200 of the best
posters dating from the railways' heyday prior to nationalization. In
this period, renowned poster artists of the calibre of Edward McKnight
Kauffer, Tom Purvis and Cassandre were commissioned by the railway
groups to promote not only their lines but also the most beautiful and
appealing cities and towns in their areas for tourists to visit. The
railway companies virtually invented the "package tour", and promoted it
intensively not only in the UK but also in the USA. The introduction
explains the history of the companies during the period covered, and
examines their attitudes to poster advertising. The book is then divided
into four sections, one for each of the railway groups: the resulting
selection makes an analysis of poster art in the UK in its "golden age"
of the Twenties and Thirties. Extended captions explain the context of
the works, and information about the artists is provided. The authors
are on the curatorial staff of the National Railway Museum, York.
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