A.M. Cassandre (Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron) 1901–1968 Normandie / Voyage Inaugural (Rare vintage poster)
Caption Brief: This is the first, and the rarest, of all the variations on Cassandre's world-famous poster for the Normandie: the very first impression travelers would have had of the magnificent ship. "The simplicity and symmetry of Cassandre’s frontal view of the looming hull of the liner immediately conveys its gigantic scale and streamlined elegance. Cassandre developed a striking visual language inspired by avant-garde art in Paris and counts among the most important graphic artists of the 20th century" (V&A Museum). A closer look reveals a subtle detail: small birds on the left, near the hull, that give the viewer a sense of the ship's immense scale.
1935
39¼ h × 24⅝ w in (100 × 63 cm)
Provenance: Collection of William Crouse
Exhibited: Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration, 31 August 2025 - 29 March 2026, Sarasota Art Museum, Florida
Condition: Cond A-: with creases, scuffs, repaired tears, touch-ups, repaired pinholes and a few pinpoints of foxing. Work has not been examined out of frame but is fully visible. Framed behind acrylic measuring 43.375 × 28.125 × 1.5 inches.
Literature: (all var but first two) The Art Deco Poster, Crouse, p. 224; PAI-LXXVIII, 231; Mouron, 56; Brown & Reinhold, 53; Cassandre/Weill, p. 181; Deco Affiches, p. 33; Musée d'Affiches, p. 65
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Caption Brief: This is the first, and the rarest, of all the variations on Cassandre's world-famous poster for the Normandie: the very first impression travelers would have had of the magnificent ship. "The simplicity and symmetry of Cassandre’s frontal view of the looming hull of the liner immediately conveys its gigantic scale and streamlined elegance. Cassandre developed a striking visual language inspired by avant-garde art in Paris and counts among the most important graphic artists of the 20th century" (V&A Museum). A closer look reveals a subtle detail: small birds on the left, near the hull, that give the viewer a sense of the ship's immense scale.
1935
39¼ h × 24⅝ w in (100 × 63 cm)
Provenance: Collection of William Crouse
Exhibited: Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration, 31 August 2025 - 29 March 2026, Sarasota Art Museum, Florida
Condition: Cond A-: with creases, scuffs, repaired tears, touch-ups, repaired pinholes and a few pinpoints of foxing. Work has not been examined out of frame but is fully visible. Framed behind acrylic measuring 43.375 × 28.125 × 1.5 inches.
Literature: (all var but first two) The Art Deco Poster, Crouse, p. 224; PAI-LXXVIII, 231; Mouron, 56; Brown & Reinhold, 53; Cassandre/Weill, p. 181; Deco Affiches, p. 33; Musée d'Affiches, p. 65
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