Cottin et Desgouttes, l’avion de la route 1926

Jean d'Ylen made this advert for Cottin & Desgouttes sometime around 1926, I imagine using printmaking. The limited colour palette reminds me of a comic book and is applied in flat opaque blocks. The image has so much going on, a winged figure and a number of early airplanes hovering above a yellow car! All on a navy-blue ground. It's such a dynamic scene, but then there’s this car that takes centre stage. You know? The front wheel of the car is the largest object in the composition, it looks so heavy, the solid geometry and industrial design of it makes the whole image feel grounded and contemporary despite the classical allusion of the angel. D’Ylen’s work reminds me of Cassandre, another poster artist. I think their work proves that art is not just what you see in a gallery; it is an ongoing conversation that takes place everywhere, all the time.