Poster Art 150

Molesey Regatta July 21st, artist unknown, 1928. All images: London Transport Museum, copyright Transport for London. 

At the London Transport Museum, "Poster Art 150--London Underground's Greatest Designs" features 150 posters created for the Tube from the Museum's collection of over 3,000. The show celebrates the service's 150th anniversary this year, from its outset in 1863, and illustrates the city's history and growth through advertising posters and graphic design--a selection from each decade over the last 100 years.

Speed Underground, by Alan Rogers, 1930. 

A culture of good design and 'fitness for purpose' was established by London Transport's first chief executive, Frank Pick. He commissioned distinctive poster art, a blend of Arts and Crafts and modernism. Calligrapher Edward Johnston designed the Tube font (Underground Sans) in 1913 and the roundel logo a few years later. 

Cycle and Motor Cycle Show, by Charles Burton, 1930. 

Posters in the Museum's collection (1908-present) were commissioned through designers, printers and artists until the 70s, when advertising agencies began to be used. The zenith of high-quality poster art occurred during the 20s and 30s. 

Play between 6 and 12, by Edward McKnight Kauffer, 1931. 

An Art Deco style design promoting use of the London Underground system. Many of the posters are now in the Victoria and Albert Museum's Prints collection. 

Trooping the Colour, by Margaret Calkin James, 1932. 

Wimbledon Tennis, by Herry Perry, 1935.

Your fare, by László Moholy-Nagy, 1936. 

A modernist image incorporating textiles and collage created by László Moholy-Nagy, former graphic design instructor at the Bauhaus. 

European Swimming Championships, artist unknown, 1938.

Fly the Tube, by Geoff Senior, 1979.

The London Transport brand was extended to all aspects of transport operation, from posters and tickets to corporate identity, vehicle design and station architecture. The brand was discontinued and replaced with that of Transport for London in 2000, which incorporates many of the former's design features into the current house  style--a dynamic poster legacy. 

Tate Modern, by Paul Catherall, 2003. 

On view through January 5th at the London Transport Museum, Covent Garden Piazza.