Cool poster I found in my attic...

I have no idea where this came from. My Mum doesn't remember buying it or anything. It's pretty nice though. Says the artist is unknown which is a shame 'cause I'd like to know! It reads at the bottom:

"Originally issued in 1908, and reproduced from London Transport's Historic Poster Archives in 1983 by Charterhouse Printing, London"

Obviously it was made as an advertisement for this place - Golders Green the place of delightful prospects. You can barely make out the small poem printed on a scroll just underneath the woman and child but I managed to look up the author - William Cowper - on the internet and here's what it says:

'Tis pleasant, through the loopholes of retreat

To peep at such a world; to see the stir

Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd;

To hear the roar she sends through all her gates

At a safe distance, where the dying sound
Falls a soft murmur on the uninjur'd ear.

A rather pleasant and relevant piece of writing considering how peaceful looking the area in the poster is portrayed by the artist. 

We have the text along the top appearing on another scroll. After researching briefly the history of the London Underground logo I found this similar looking image of the logo made since this poster was released:

In comparison with the more modern, up to date version of the logo I notice they ditched the larger U and D which is disappointing. I like thinking that the letters in between the U and D symbolise the journey that one would make from their current location (the letter U) to their destination (the letter D).

After no success looking for more info on the poster, like how it was made etc. I'm left wondering whether the artist used paint primarily? Looks as if watercolour was used, definitely pencil anyway. 

Over all I think Golders Green looks like a very nice place to visit. So you could say the poster has done it's job. That's advertising for you!

Olympic Robe

Jim Dine, Olympic Robe, 1998

The fact there isn't a person filling this colourful, ragged looking robe is interesting to me. Especially considering the pose it is displaying is that of movement. Hands on the hips suggest emotion. The lithographs title is conveyed on the bottom part of the robe which is the Olympic rings. The scrappy edges around the print is what I mostly enjoy about it, the sense of pride I feel this print is trying evoke is striking. The body language on display has connotations of success. The more I have looked at this particular print of Dine's, the more I like it.