Light
Poster
1937 (designed)
1937 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The designer of this poster, Lester Beall, pioneered Modernism in American graphic design. His signature style was uncompromisingly bold and dynamic, yet accessible. This poster is a good example of his work, and it earned him national attention.
This poster was designed for the Rural Electrification Administration in the United States. The government agency was responsible for bringing electricity to outlying rural areas of America. The visual language employed in this poster communicates the message effectively, and with only a spare use of text; this poster was aimed at a rural audience, many of whom had minimal reading skills.
This poster was designed for the Rural Electrification Administration in the United States. The government agency was responsible for bringing electricity to outlying rural areas of America. The visual language employed in this poster communicates the message effectively, and with only a spare use of text; this poster was aimed at a rural audience, many of whom had minimal reading skills.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Light (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Silkscreen on paper |
| Brief description | A poster for the Rural Electrification Administration by Lester Beall, USA, 1937. |
| Physical description | A poster showing a lightbulb and a house. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Light / Rural Electrification Administration' |
| Gallery label | As part of a programme for economic recovery from the Depression of the 1930s, the Rural Electrification Administration was set up to bring cheap electricity to farms and rural communities. The lightbulb, a universal symbol for electric light, is shown against a dark blue night sky and an expanse of red soil. The simple graphics were designed for a rural audience with a high level of illiteracy.
(11/09/2017) |
| Credit line | Purchased through the Julie and Robert Breckman Print Fund |
| Production | This poster was designed for the Rural Electrification Administration of the United States Government. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The designer of this poster, Lester Beall, pioneered Modernism in American graphic design. His signature style was uncompromisingly bold and dynamic, yet accessible. This poster is a good example of his work, and it earned him national attention. This poster was designed for the Rural Electrification Administration in the United States. The government agency was responsible for bringing electricity to outlying rural areas of America. The visual language employed in this poster communicates the message effectively, and with only a spare use of text; this poster was aimed at a rural audience, many of whom had minimal reading skills. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.265-2005 |
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| Record created | April 20, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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