Silence, L'Ennemi Guette Vos Confidences Paul Colin, 1939 The Victoria & Albert Museum |
Titled “Silence, L'Ennemi Guette Vos Confidences,” this French propaganda poster dates to 1939 and the first rumbles of the Second World War. This was one of the most prolific posters in France, finding wide distribution.
Designed by artist Paul Colin (1892-1985), the poster depicts the enemy as a dark and sinister shadow creeping up upon two men innocently talking. The image neatly encapsulates the understandable paranoia at the time—the terrifying notion that around every corner, a spy for the other side might be lurking.
Colin was among a group of artists who were influenced by contemporary art movements of the 1930s. Colin’s work, especially, reflects Art Deco influences. He founded the “Ecole Paul Colin” in Paris in 1926, offering exceptional training to dozens of young and ambitious graphic artists.
And...and...I think the little men upon whom the shadow is spying look like adorable little bears. But, that's not really the point of the piece. Still--don't they?
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