This cavalcade of international poster design is organized by subject: aviation, communication, fashion and many more. Featuring rare and even unique examples by masters of the art form, including Nizzoli, Cassandre and Beall, each poster – carefully re-photographed – is accompanied by an extended caption that addresses the aesthetic, social, economic, and/or political context of the image.

Posters were by their very nature ephemeral: on a billboard or tacked to a news stand, they lasted only a few weeks until advertisers issued another argument for a soap or an ocean voyage. While few contemporary observers understood the richness of their design or appreciated the ingenuity of their unsung creators, they are now highly prized by collectors.

Introduced by Art Deco specialist Alastair Duncan, The Art Deco Poster is an essential book for all interested in graphic design, Art Deco, and life and culture in the Jazz Age.