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Plain language summary: From Monarchy to Modernity

This is what you see in this exhibition:

Poster House is showing posters from Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia was a country in central Europe from 1918 until 1993. Today, it is two separate countries called the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

There are 16 travel posters in this exhibition. Most of them are quite rare.

The exhibition is called From Monarchy to Modernity: Travel, Identity, & the Czechoslovak First Republic (1918–1938).

The posters explore Czechoslovakian history during the First Republic. The First Republic was a period from 1918 to 1938. It came after Czechoslovakia declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which had been broken up after World War I. This 20-year period was full of progress, invention, and possibility.

Designers created the posters to encourage tourists to visit Czechoslovakia. Tourists are people who visit places for vacation, relaxation, sports, culture, or business. This is important for many economies and industries like hotels and restaurants, transportation, and entertainment.

The First Czechoslovak Republic wanted to be seen as a land of opportunity, beauty, and industry. Artists, designers, and large commercial studios made these travel posters to attract visitors from both near and far. The posters highlight places like medieval towns, spas, and mountain resorts. They show recreational activities such as skiing and golfing.

The posters also present some of the popular art styles of the early 1900s such as Art Deco, Constructivism, and Functionalism. These movements celebrated modern design and a modern lifestyle with geometric shapes and minimal decoration.

The exhibition shows important works, including:

  • Karlsbad, Hanns Jakesch, 1925
  • Zbiroh/Brána do Krásných Míst (Zbiroh/Gateway to Beautiful Places), Kamerník, c. 1928
  • Travel to Bohemia-Moravia, Libuše Lepařová-Samková, c. 1930
  • Slovenská Strela (Slovak Arrow), Vilém Rotter, 1936
  • Prague/The City of Art, Zdenek Rykr, 1937

Poster House is the first and only poster museum in the United States.