NOTTINGHAM CASTLE. Original LMS Poster artwork 1924 by JOHN ALFRED ARNESBY BROWN

NOTTINGHAM CASTLE - THE CENTRE OF MEDIEVAL ENGLAND. Original LMS Poster artwork design in gouache/ watercolour by Sir John Alfred Arnesby Brown R.A. for the famous London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) poster series of 1924. A superb opportunity to purchase one of the images at the turning point of transport poster design. In 1924 the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company (LMS) took a brave stand against the normal rules of poster design, maintaining that posters should be artistic and pictorial in contrast to other railway companies who filled their posters with information and shied away from the idea embracing new design styles. On the advice of Norman Wilkinson, the LMS commissioned 16 Royal Academy artists to produce paintings, which would be reproduced as posters, advertising tourist destinations and the railway’s services to industry. The innovative idea to commission leading artists came from established poster artist, Norman Wilkinson. The LMS had approached him for advice on improving their advertising. Norman Wilkinson once said that ‘thousands of pounds have been wasted annually on utterly ineffective posters’ in industry. On his advice the LMS rejected the 'unduly restrictive' new conventions of poster design and instead turned to the British art establishment and Royal Academicians. This would not only attract attention, but raise the status of poster art and improve the LMS's newly-formed railway company’s image. These posters represented 'all that is good and best in British Art', turning the advertising hoarding into an outdoor picture gallery. The LMS suggested the poster's subjects, but gave the artists free expression as to how they painted them. All the artists produced a small draft design to show the LMS, before the final artwork in oils on canvas was produced. This is one of these designs. Many of the original canvases are in the National Railway Museum's collection at York (see the photo below to see this image). The painting is unframed and in its original mount, when framed in 1928. Size: 170 x 95mm. Slight discolouration to edges near the mount. The image is very true to the finished poster design - see the photo below (poster not for sale!). Please contact us if you require further information on this item.