I have selected some posters that are representative of the wonderful poster designs created to encourage use of the Underground and buses for an evening out in London’s West End. They are divided loosely into two groups; differences and similarities respectively.
Theatreland, by Harold Williamson (1924)
Artist Harold Williamson produced some 19 posters for the Underground and London Transport. This poster seems to encapsulate everything about London’s West End; not only is it a wonderful design, it would hang equally well at home as an evocative piece of artwork. Marked contrasts of colour are used to portray the night sky, yellow light from the buildings, ‘neon’ lighting, brickwork in shadow and the two dominant white street lights that glow and immediately draw the observer’s attention. This is one of my favourite posters in London Transport Museum’s collection.
Theatreland map, by Macdonald Gill (1915)
The first of eight posters produced by Macdonald Gill (my great uncle) for the Underground Group between 1915 and 1932. These posters were intricately detailed and, still to this day, demand a great deal of time to fully appreciate their extraordinary designs whilst raising more than just a smile! They were almost more for decoration than for information which is why many copies appeared in private homes and schools.
Travelcard, by Trevor Caley (1986)
Produced three years after the introduction of the London Transport Travelcard. The original artwork for this poster is a mosaic capturing that moment of the orchestra striking up as the curtains open, with a spotlight projection of the London Transport roundel on them. Lovely play on the word ‘curtains’.
Theatre – go by Underground, by Barnett Freedman (1936)
Freedman was repeatedly commissioned by London Transport over a twenty year period from 1936. This is a pair of posters that would have hung either side of a seat or an entrance/exit. This seemingly simple design is full of ‘hidden’ detail that captures all aspects of the theatre experience: darkness, lighting, comedy and tragedy and the central performer (is she made of alabaster?).
Why wait till later?, by Marc Fernand Severin (1939) and A garden for all seasons’, by Caroline Anne Brice (1993)
I have put these two posters together to demonstrate the great variation in styles employed by artists who were either contemporaries of one another (see the forgoing poster) or who lived in completely different eras, i.e. 54 years apart.
Severin has realised London Transport’s commission to focus on the notion of extending the day in town and to take in the cinema… with the aid of London Transport as portrayed by the clock within the blue roundel. The photomontage is of Hollywood star Ronald Colman and this photo contrasts starkly with the air-brush technique employed to create the audience; note the tiny splash of red light from the emergency exit (London Transport red?).
Brice’s intricate design publicises the wide variety of cultural experiences around Covent Garden: opera, theatre and cinema. Pastel shades help identify all the intriguing minute detail with the blue stage curtains taking near-enough centre-stage! The artist’s name appears on the poster together with the fact that she has been commissioned by London Transport.
Brightest London, by Horace Taylor (1924) and Brightest London, by Virgine Morgand (2016)
I have grouped the following four posters together in order to show the great similarities between designs that cover a period of 94 years. The text, ‘Brightest London’, featured in the two 1924 posters by Horace Taylor is restated in the three 2016 posters by Virgine Morgand; but there are many other similarities between these four designs. All four designs feature predominantly bright colours that reflect the subject matter and demonstrate the artists’ response to the same commission over the years draws on tried and tested responses.
