1918 Can You Help The Women of France? Save Wheat Edward Penfield WWI

Date: 1918Artist: Penfield, Edward      Size (in): 56.25” x 36.75”Size (cm): 142.9 x 93.4 Condition: B This original antique large horizontal format poster was created by the artist Edward Penfield for the United States Food Administration during WWI.  For this poster Penfield renders an image of French women in peasant garb literally working like a team of draft animals to pull a plow through soil under the title Will you help the women of France? SAVE WHEAT.   Text at the bottom of the bottom of the poster reminds the viewer that these women must feed not only themselves and their children but also their countrymen off fighting the war.   Penfield’s design for this poster was actually based on a photograph taken in 1916 showing French women toiling to plant crops after the retreating German army had taken their draft animals.  The United States Food Administration, under the direction of future President Hebert Hoover, created a number of posters encouraging American Farmers to produ