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Royal Quad 40 x 50 This vintage poster, titled "The Gateway of the World,
" was designed in 1936 by the English artist Charles Shepard (known as "Shep"). It served as a major advertisement for Southern Railway to promote Southampton Docks as the premier international hub for travel and trade.
Key Features and Historical Context
The poster is a prime example of mid-1930s commercial art, using a bold, decorative style to showcase Britain's global connectivity during the "Golden Age of Travel".
Global Symbolism: The central map shows Southampton positioned as a radiant focal point with lines extending like sunbeams to all corners of the globe—Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Oceania.
The Flags: A striking feature is the semi-circle of 24 national flags representing the various countries served by the port. Notably, because this was produced in 1936, it includes:
The swastika flag of Nazi Germany.
The Rising Sun flag of Imperial Japan.
The flag of the Republic of China (now the flag of Taiwan).
Artistic Details: The design incorporates maritime and imperial themes, featuring sea monsters at the top and the Union Jack prominently displayed on the right under the banner "British Empire".
Production: It was printed by The Baynard Press in London as a "Quad Royal" size poster (roughly 40 x 50 inches).
This artwork highlights Southampton's status at the time as "the UK's premier port for trading with the world," owned and operated by Southern Railway. |
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