Stylized Stonehenge depicted with large stone post-and-lintel in center with smaller versions to the right, smaller posts to the left, all curved inward from the center in shades of white and beige with black shadows on top of dark green hill-like terrain with scattered smaller stones. In the background a skyline of dark blue structures in the distance. The gradient sky starts as black from the top transitions to a dark blue with small white speaks representing stars, and fades into white along the horizon line with small white outlines of clouds. Similarly to the sky, the text in lower left corner, in white fades to blue: 'STONEHENGE'; below text along bottom, in black text outlined in beige: 'SEE BRITAIN FIRST ON SHELL!'.

There is one other image of this object. See our image rights statement.

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Object Timeline

1932	Work on this object began.
1989	We acquired this object.
2013	We photographed this object.
2015	We photographed this object.
2021	We exhibited this object.
2024	You found it!

Poster, Stonehenge, See Britain First on Shell!

This is a Poster. It was designed by E. McKnight Kauffer and printed by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son and made for (as the client) Shell-Mex and BP Ltd.. It is dated 1932 and we acquired it in 1989. Its medium is lithograph. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.

In the early 1930s, advertising executive Jack Beddington launched the campaign “See Britain First on Shell,” promoting domestic tourism to sites accessible by car. The prehistoric monument Stonehenge was an iconic destination and played to Kauffer’s strengths as a landscape artist. Yet Kauffer’s decision to showcase the landmark at night, set against a starry sky, brought a dramatic new perspective to the heritage site.

It is credited Museum purchase from Friends of Drawings and Prints Fund.

Poster, B.P. Ethyl
lithograph.
Collection of Merrill C. Berman.
92.2019.14

Photostat, Shell is Always First
offset lithograph on off-white board.
Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer.
1963-39-588

Its dimensions are

76.2 × 114.3 cm (30 × 45 in.)

It is signed

Printed in script, in beige ink, lower right: E. McKnight Kauffer.

It is inscribed

Printed in beige ink, lower left: VINCENT BROOKS, DAY & SON. LTD. LITH. LONDON. W.C.2.

Cite this object as

Poster, Stonehenge, See Britain First on Shell!; Designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer (American, active England, 1890–1954); Printed by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son; Client: Shell-Mex and BP Ltd.; USA; lithograph; 76.2 × 114.3 cm (30 × 45 in.); Museum purchase from Friends of Drawings and Prints Fund; 1989-90-1

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Underground Modernist: E. McKnight Kauffer.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2Dv7i/
Accession Number 1989-90-1
Object ID 18633561