By Train for Seaside Holidays! Take a Kodak

Maker Gert Sellheim (Australian - German, 1901 - 1970)

Date1930s

Object number00015669

NamePoster

MediumColour lithograph on paper

DimensionsOverall: 1015 x 620 mm, 0.2 kg

ClassificationsPosters and postcards

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionThis poster advertising train travel for seaside holidays uses striking images and simple slogans to market Australia to travellers. This technique was commonly used by Australian railways who were an advocate of domestic tourism. Posters commissioned for the Australian National Travel Association commonly used scenes of popular Australian icons to promote travel.HistoryIn the nineteenth century railways emerged as an advocate of domestic tourism. The Australian National Transport Association and Victorian Railways Betterment and Publicity Board, developed posters with striking images and simple slogans to meet the emerging need to market Australia to the international and domestic traveler, increasing the profile of Australia as a desirable tourist destination. ANTA promotional travel posters worked across the spectrum depicting the beach and the outback as desirable travel destinations. Railway travel posters often depicted beach resorts, landscapes and other colourful scenes rather than the trains themselves. People were often the feature of posters developed by the ANTA as a point of identification, transporting their audience to an attractive alternative reality. Gert Sellheim, (1901-1970) born in Estonia, studied Architecture in Berlin. He migrated to Australia in 1926 and began producing travel posters in 1931.Sellheim went on to design iconic posters that represent Australian culture and society, Sellheim created recognisable works such as an Aboriginal two shilling stamp in 1948 and the flying kangaroo logo for Qantas. Sellheim was one of the first poster artists to use the semi- abstract style, bold use of colour and later adapted Aboriginal motifs for advertising purposes. SignificanceThis poster is a vivid symbol of an era when Australia undertook an aggressive campaign of promotion. It was commissioned by the Australian National Travel Association to promote travel within Australia. The poster's semi - abstract bold graphic style is representative of work by acclaimed poster artist, Gert Sellheim.