Exposition coloniale, Marseille 1922 1922

Leonetto Cappiello created this poster in 1922 to advertise the Exposition Coloniale in Marseille. The event was part of a series of colonial exhibitions held in various European countries to promote their empires. Note the figure in the centre, idealized as a classical goddess, draped in white and red, the colors of France. She appears to be elevated above the colonized people who gesture upwards towards her. The image promotes a narrative of French superiority and civilization, masking the exploitation and violence inherent in colonialism. The emotional impact on those who were colonized must have been devastating, witnessing their subjugation celebrated as progress. The poster reveals the power dynamics at play. While seemingly benign, it perpetuates a system of oppression. Consider the ways in which such imagery shaped public opinion and legitimized colonial rule, while erasing the identities and histories of those it claimed to represent.