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London Museum

Poster
1928 (made)
Artist/Maker
Whistler, Rex (artist)
Place of origin
Great Britain (made)

Colour poster advertising how to reach the London Museum by public transport, including opening times and prices for the museum. The poster depicts Britannia arriving in a carriage pulled by a pink-maned unicorn, greeted by a policemen, a cherub holding a London Museum guide, and a dog. Several statues, including Nelson on top of his column in the background of the poster, acknowledge her presence by bowing and doffing their hats.

Object details

Categories
Posters
Transport
Advertising
Object type
Poster
TitleLondon Museum (generic title)
Materials and techniques
colour lithograph
Paper
Colour Lithograph
Brief description
'London Museum', poster advertising the London Underground Railways, colour lithograph, Rex Whistler, Great Britain, 1928
Physical description
Colour poster advertising how to reach the London Museum by public transport, including opening times and prices for the museum. The poster depicts Britannia arriving in a carriage pulled by a pink-maned unicorn, greeted by a policemen, a cherub holding a London Museum guide, and a dog. Several statues, including Nelson on top of his column in the background of the poster, acknowledge her presence by bowing and doffing their hats.
Dimensions
  • Height: 40.25in
  • Width: 25in
Dimensions taken from Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1929, London: Board of Education, 1930.
Marks and inscriptions
  • Rex Whistler 1928 (signed at bottom of poster)
  • Britannia visits the London Museum (lettered in a gold cartouche at the top of the poster)
  • LONDON MUSEUM / Mondays to Thursdays, and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. / Sundays and Fridays 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. / Admission free (Tuesdays 1/-, Wednesdays & Thursdays 6d) / ST. JAMES' PARK STATION / Thence a short and pleasant walk across Park
Credit line
Given by the London Underground Electric Railways Co. of London, Ltd.
Object history
The London Museum was opened in 1912 and was originally housed in Kensington Palace. Its collections were merged with the Guildhall Museum to form the current Museum of London, which opened in 1976.
Subjects depicted
Statues
Policemen
Cherubs
Lions
Unicorns
Dogs
Whip
Carriage
Britannia
Nelson
Places depicted
St Paul's Cathedral
St Martin in the Fields
Associations
Underground Electric Railways Company of London Ltd
London Museum
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1929, London: Board of Education, 1930.
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.2265-1929

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1009267/london-museum-poster-whistler-rex/
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