Banque National de Crédit French WWI 1916 Original Poster

This 1916 poster, full of exquisite detail, depicts a vast, modern French army marching underneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In a reference to its triumphant history, a celestial column of Napoleon's Grand Army descends from the monument on a curling cloud and join their real-life counterparts. Artist François Rude's lime statue, La Marseillaise, gloriously calls all to battle as if taking command and managing the traffic of the heavenly decedents.  This poster's goal is to play on the population's patriotism in a time of war. Designed to persuade the population to loan money for the war effort it states, "For victory subscribe to the National Loan. Subscriptions are taken in Paris and in the Provinces at the Banque Nationale de Crédit." Georges Goursat (1863-1934), better known as Sem, attained a high level of success with his portrayals of Paris at the turn of the century. The caricaturist was a member of the Salon des Humoristes and an officer of the Legion of Honor. During the