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It's a Long Way to Rome
Unknown - Enlarge image
It's a Long Way to Rome
- Object:
Poster
- Place of origin:
France (made)
- Date:
April 1944 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Colour lithograph
- Credit Line:
Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko
- Museum number:
E.1979-2004
- Gallery location:
Prints & Drawings Study Room, room 405M, case A, shelf 5
Allied forces had landed in Southern Italy from Sicily in early September 1943. The difficult terrain and tenacious German defence slowed progress towards Rome. The poster claims that a snail travelling at 0.8 metres a minute for 191 days would have advanced 320 kilometres [actually 220] by 1 April 1944, whereas the Allies had achieved only 180 kilometres. However, after the German defence line and Monte Cassino were stormed in mid-May 1944, the Allies moved on rapidly to liberate Rome on June 5 1944. The style of this poster suggests it was probably designed by a French artist.
