A stylized scene with light-skinned figure wearing crown, elaborate festive black costume: black tunic and leggings with rows of red and green stripes with scalloped leaf- pattern, with bell tower in background, flanked by a tree on the left, and foreground of yellow flowers on the ground. The figure's left hand pushed overhead to hold up the arched yellow ribbon with above brown text: 'WHITSUNTIDE'. The ribbon falls downward, flanks the figure on the right, in a folded or spiraled cascade that the figure reaches down to hold with the right hand. Below in green text: 'PLEASURES ~ BY' ; and in brown below: 'UNDERGROUND.'

Object Timeline

1925	Work on this object began.
1963	We acquired this object.
2015	We photographed this object.
2024	You found it!

Poster, Whitsuntide, Pleasures by Underground, 1925

This is a Poster. It was designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer and printed by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son and made for (as the client) Underground Electric Railways of London Company Ltd.. It is dated 1925 and we acquired it in 1963. Its medium is offset lithograph on paper. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.

This object was donated by Mrs. Edward McKnight Kauffer. It is credited Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer.

At center, a contrasting scene of two standing silhouettes: the left foreground figure in an overcoat and brimmed hat, rendered in black, and behind to the right a coatless figure holding a racket, rendered in light gray and contained in a vertical rectangle of bright yellow with abstract details appearing like trees and the sun. To the left of black figure is a bare tree with a triangle shape of gray and olive dots representing rain or snow. More rectangles and other overlapping geometric-shaped planes of frame the two figures in grays, greens, black, and yellow. Below in center a black horizontal rectangle with gray and green text: 'from WINTERS GLOOM / to SUMMERS JOY'.

Poster, From Winters Gloom to Summers Joy
lithograph.
Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer.
1963-39-40

Its dimensions are

110.8 × 63.2 cm (43 5/8 × 24 7/8 in.)

It is signed

Printed in script, in brown ink, lower right: E. McKnight KauFFer, '25.

It is inscribed

Printed in gray ink, lower left: 387 1000 30.3.25.; lower right: VINCENT BROOKS DAY & SON LTD., London, W.C.2.

Cite this object as

Poster, Whitsuntide, Pleasures by Underground, 1925; Designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer (American, active England, 1890–1954); Printed by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son; Client: Underground Electric Railways of London Company Ltd.; USA; offset lithograph on paper; 110.8 × 63.2 cm (43 5/8 × 24 7/8 in.); Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer; 1963-39-32

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2CxRR/
Accession Number 1963-39-32
Object ID 18447703