Dunkerque 1932

Cassandre made this striking lithograph, Dunkerque, sometime in the 1930s, and it really throws down the gauntlet for modern poster design. What I love about this piece is its reductive quality. The lighthouse, the light, the ship, the stars. I can only imagine Cassandre thinking, how can I say more, with less? What’s so great is how he captures the essence of a place through these simplified forms and high-contrast colors. The black of the lighthouse against the deep blue sky is pure drama. The yellow light slicing through the darkness? It's like hope cutting through uncertainty, guiding travelers safely to shore. It makes me think about other graphic artists, like Edward McKnight Kauffer, who were also trying to capture the energy of the modern world through bold, streamlined designs. I see a visual conversation happening.