작품 상세

Artist: VINCENT GUERRA Size: 24 1/4 x 39 3/8 in./61.6 x 99.4 cm Alepee et Cie, Paris Once World War II was over, Air France could capitalize on the African routes it had acquired in its merger with Air Afrique in 1940. Guerra plays up the exotic destination with a handsome wood-grain design. This is the rare English-language version of the poster, one that utilizes a smaller-eared Asian elephant, as opposed to the African elephant Guerra's used in a later version of the poster (see PAI-XXVII, 80). Though a superb work of art, "this does not necessarily mean that the poster artist knew African fauna in detail. Guetta made a beautiful poster in ochre tones in 1946 . . . illustrating three elephants on a background of coconut trees with a plane overhead . . . Unfortunately, he had used photographs of Asian elephants for his documentation"; their ears are shorter than African elephants. "In all likelihood alerted by connoisseurs, he corrected the poster two years later..." (Air France/Dream, p. 130). (Travel, Aviation)