Poster
ca. 1901 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Trading
By the end of the 19th century, hoardings covered with brightly-coloured posters were a familiar sight. Many of these posters advertised convenience foodstuffs like dried (desiccated) soup, cocoa powder, tinned sardines and bottled sauces, reflecting new consumer demand and retail practice. Advertisers like Samuel Benson, whose firm S.H. Benson (established in 1893), produced this poster, developed techniques of branding and total campaign management to exploit new markets.
Subjects Depicted
Designed by Louis Weierter, head of the studio of S.H. Benson, the homely cook depicted on this poster was so successful that she later appeared on the product's packaging. Samuel Benson described her in an interview in 1909: "She was 'born' in our studio ... and in various shapes and attitudes has been a feature ever since. She is now a popular character in music-halls and at fancy dress balls; and so closely was she associated with the soup itself that the wrapper it is packed in now carries her portrait. This is a typically good poster for its purpose. It was ... very effective in colour treatment. It had a homely element, it brought the article in view in an appetising way, and was so arranged that the name was at once associated with the article ... everyone knows that the old woman cook is carrying Edwards' DesicCated Soup."
Object Type
This print is a colour lithograph. A lithograph is a picture made by printing from a flat surface (traditionally stone, now often a metal plate) on which the artist draws or paints the original design with a greasy substance like chalk. The surface is next prepared, moistened and inked; the greasy printing ink adheres to the design, which is then printed onto a sheet of paper. To make a colour lithograph, a separate printing surface is required for each colour.
By the end of the 19th century, hoardings covered with brightly-coloured posters were a familiar sight. Many of these posters advertised convenience foodstuffs like dried (desiccated) soup, cocoa powder, tinned sardines and bottled sauces, reflecting new consumer demand and retail practice. Advertisers like Samuel Benson, whose firm S.H. Benson (established in 1893), produced this poster, developed techniques of branding and total campaign management to exploit new markets.
Subjects Depicted
Designed by Louis Weierter, head of the studio of S.H. Benson, the homely cook depicted on this poster was so successful that she later appeared on the product's packaging. Samuel Benson described her in an interview in 1909: "She was 'born' in our studio ... and in various shapes and attitudes has been a feature ever since. She is now a popular character in music-halls and at fancy dress balls; and so closely was she associated with the soup itself that the wrapper it is packed in now carries her portrait. This is a typically good poster for its purpose. It was ... very effective in colour treatment. It had a homely element, it brought the article in view in an appetising way, and was so arranged that the name was at once associated with the article ... everyone knows that the old woman cook is carrying Edwards' DesicCated Soup."
Object Type
This print is a colour lithograph. A lithograph is a picture made by printing from a flat surface (traditionally stone, now often a metal plate) on which the artist draws or paints the original design with a greasy substance like chalk. The surface is next prepared, moistened and inked; the greasy printing ink adheres to the design, which is then printed onto a sheet of paper. To make a colour lithograph, a separate printing surface is required for each colour.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Colour lithograph, inks on paper |
| Brief description | Weierter, Louis. Edward's Desiccated Soup poster, produced by advertisers' agent S.H. Benson, ca. 1901. |
| Physical description | Poster showing a cook dressed in red with white apron and bonnet, proudly holding aloft a bowl of soup. Behind is a containter of soup on a table. To her left (right of image) is a cat in the background colour green, outlined in yellow. The text is in red and white block capitals with black shadows, yellow capitals with black shadow or yellow text, with Edwards' Soup prominent, along with the quotation 'My dear buy it!'. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
EDWARDS’ DESICCATED SOUP
About 1901
The agent behind this advertisement, S.H. Benson, described it as a perfect poster, because of its colour, lettering and the homely subject matter. The character of the cook was so successful that she became associated with the brand. Her image was later used on the company’s packaging.
Colour lithograph, inks on paper
Designed by Louis Weierter (born in Edinburgh, 1873, died in London, 1932); issued by S.H. Benson (advertising agent), London; printed by Henry Blacklock & Co., Manchester
Given by Ogilvy Benson & Mather Ltd
Museum no. E.44-1973(12/2012) |
| Credit line | Given by Ogilvy Benson & Mather Ltd |
| Object history | Printed by Henry Blacklock & Co., Manchester; issued by S.H. Benson (advertising agent), 100 Fleet Street, London One of a series of posters on the 'cook' image. |
| Summary | Trading By the end of the 19th century, hoardings covered with brightly-coloured posters were a familiar sight. Many of these posters advertised convenience foodstuffs like dried (desiccated) soup, cocoa powder, tinned sardines and bottled sauces, reflecting new consumer demand and retail practice. Advertisers like Samuel Benson, whose firm S.H. Benson (established in 1893), produced this poster, developed techniques of branding and total campaign management to exploit new markets. Subjects Depicted Designed by Louis Weierter, head of the studio of S.H. Benson, the homely cook depicted on this poster was so successful that she later appeared on the product's packaging. Samuel Benson described her in an interview in 1909: "She was 'born' in our studio ... and in various shapes and attitudes has been a feature ever since. She is now a popular character in music-halls and at fancy dress balls; and so closely was she associated with the soup itself that the wrapper it is packed in now carries her portrait. This is a typically good poster for its purpose. It was ... very effective in colour treatment. It had a homely element, it brought the article in view in an appetising way, and was so arranged that the name was at once associated with the article ... everyone knows that the old woman cook is carrying Edwards' DesicCated Soup." Object Type This print is a colour lithograph. A lithograph is a picture made by printing from a flat surface (traditionally stone, now often a metal plate) on which the artist draws or paints the original design with a greasy substance like chalk. The surface is next prepared, moistened and inked; the greasy printing ink adheres to the design, which is then printed onto a sheet of paper. To make a colour lithograph, a separate printing surface is required for each colour. |
| Bibliographic reference | Haworth-Booth, Mark. Posters of a Lifetime, London : Victoria & Albert Museum, 1973
no.14 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.44-1973 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
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