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United Nations Day

Poster
1948 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

'United Nations Day', poster featuring a man's silhouette shaking many hands on blue & khaki ground. The title is printed in blue capitals, with the date, 'October 24th 1948', printed below in white letters. Set against a background of a blue sky-line fading into olive-green, and overlaid with a white grid that recedes into the distance, is the central silhouette of a semitransparent male figure, dressed in loose clothing, walking and reaching forwards. His legs are black, and the colour fades to brown for the rest of his form, to white hands which clasp disembodied hands, also coloured white. Behind him other white shadow-like hands clasp or shake one another in greeting, and two small olive-green clouds. The overall effect suggests a surrealist style.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleUnited Nations Day (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Brief description
'United Nations Day', poster featuring a man's silhouette shaking many hands on blue & khaki ground, designed by Abram Games, printed for HMSO by Fosh & Cross Ltd., England (London), 1948
Physical description
'United Nations Day', poster featuring a man's silhouette shaking many hands on blue & khaki ground. The title is printed in blue capitals, with the date, 'October 24th 1948', printed below in white letters. Set against a background of a blue sky-line fading into olive-green, and overlaid with a white grid that recedes into the distance, is the central silhouette of a semitransparent male figure, dressed in loose clothing, walking and reaching forwards. His legs are black, and the colour fades to brown for the rest of his form, to white hands which clasp disembodied hands, also coloured white. Behind him other white shadow-like hands clasp or shake one another in greeting, and two small olive-green clouds. The overall effect suggests a surrealist style.
Dimensions
  • Height: 76cm
  • Width: 40.8cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'UNITED NATIONS DAY / OCTOBER 24TH 1948 / PREPARED FOR HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT OF THE GENERAL OFFICE OF INFORMATION' (Printed below the image, each line is increasingly smaller. The top line is printed in blue capitals, the second white, and the lower line black.)
  • 'PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY FOSH & CROSS LTD., LONDON 51 - 45' (Lower right-hand corner, along edge of printed area)
  • 'A. GAMES' (Artist's name, printed upper left corner, red letters)
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
Subjects depicted
Other number
LS.2063 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Accession number
E.888-2004

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Record createdJuly 11, 2006
Record URL
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