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One sheet This is a vintage travel poster for the Brienzer Rothorn cogwheel railway in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. Designed by the renowned Swiss graphic artist Adolf Gander (1902–1954), this specific design dates to approximately 1949.
Poster Details
Artist: Adolf Gander.
Era: Original lithograph from the late 1940s, specifically around 1949.
Printer: Brügger AG, Meiringen.
Subject: It promotes the Brienz Rothorn Bahn, a historic steam rack railway that climbs from the lakeside village of Brienz to the summit of Rothorn Kulm (2,350 meters).
Composition: The artwork uses bold, flat blocks of color—a style reminiscent of Japanese woodblock printing often found in early 20th-century Swiss travel posters. It depicts the steam train's winding path up the mountain, with the village of Brienz at the base and the Hotel Rothorn Kulm at the summit.
Historical Context
The Brienz Rothorn Railway opened in 1892 and remains one of the oldest operating rack railways in Switzerland. Unlike most other Swiss mountain railways, it was never electrified, making it a unique attraction that still operates primarily with steam locomotives today. The line was briefly "mothballed" during World War I and reopened in 1931 after local citizens successfully campaigned against its demolition. |
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