Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 9

A. E. Halliwell
Women in blue and yellow, vintage poster design by A. E. Halliwell

c.1930

$824.90
£600
€705.83
CA$1,129.34
A$1,265.22
CHF 658.55
MX$15,407.96
NOK 8,389
SEK 7,900.07
DKK 5,268.92
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987) Women in blue and yellow Gouache 30 x 47 cm c.1930 Provenance: Family of the artist A.E. Halliwell (1905–1986) was a British artist, illustrator, and designer best known for his vibrant poster designs created for British railway companies during the mid-20th century. Born in Southport, Halliwell developed a strong foundation in art and design early in life. He studied at the Southport School of Art from 1923 to 1926 before graduating to the Royal College of Art in London and subsequently practising as a professional designer from the 1930s. Following his studies, Halliwell married Doris Doyle in Strood Kent, and  went on to have a significant teaching career himself, most notably as a lecturer at the Central School of Arts and Crafts (later part of Central Saint Martins), where he influenced a new generation of designers and illustrators.  Halliwell is perhaps best remembered for his vibrant and engaging poster designs created for British railway companies during the 1930s. His work was characterised by a bright, graphic style that balanced charm with clarity, often depicting idealised scenes of British holiday destinations—from sunny seaside towns to tranquil countryside vistas. Beyond posters, his artistic output included book illustration, commercial design, and stage costume sketches, showcasing his versatility across mediums. His posters continue to remain enduring symbols of a golden age of British travel and design and are displayed in major collections including the London Transport Museum and the V&A. This striking poster design by A. E. Halliwell showcases his signature Art Deco and modernist flair, with bold geometric layering and a limited but vibrant colour palette of blue, black, orange, and white. Two stylised faces dominate the composition—one serene and contemplative, rendered in warm tones and delicate lines, and the other more intense and enigmatic, in stark black and white with piercing eyes. Diagonal bands of colour and stippled gradients create a sense of movement and emotional contrast, while the use of overlapping translucent blocks adds depth and abstraction. Overall, it’s a compelling interplay of mood, contrast, and 20th-century design aesthetics.
  • Creator:
    A. E. Halliwell (1905 - 1987)
  • Creation Year:
    c.1930
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 11.82 in (30 cm)Width: 18.51 in (47 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Framing:
    Framing Options Available
  • Condition:
    Generally very good.
  • Gallery Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU795316132082

More From This Seller

View All
Spirella, Health, Beauty & Comfort, vintage illustration by A. E. Halliwell
Located in London, GB
A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987) Spirella, Health, Beauty & Comfort Gouache 26 x 15 cm Provenance: Family of the artist A.E. Halliwell (1905–1986) was a British artist, illustrator, a...
Category

1930s Art Deco Figurative Paintings

Materials

Ballpoint Pen

Abstract Form, vintage poster design by M R Webb
Located in London, GB
M R Webb Abstract Form 21 x 26 cm Signed to lower right Provenance: Family of A. E. Halliwell Little is known about A Searle beyond the fact that he studied under A E Halliwell, th...
Category

1940s Abstract Abstract Paintings

Materials

Gouache

Design for Underground Poster, 1927 art deco design by A. E. Halliwell
Located in London, GB
A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987) Design for Underground Poster Gouache 15 x 12 cm 1927 Signed, dated and inscribed "Design for Underground Poster, executed 30" x 20", A. E. Halliwell '27...
Category

1930s Art Deco Figurative Paintings

Materials

Ballpoint Pen

Fog, 1927 art deco poster design by A. E. Halliwell
Located in London, GB
A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987) Fog Gouache 19 x 13 cm c.1930 Signed to the bottom right and inscribed 'Design for a Poster Entitled "Fog".' Provenance: Family of the artist A.E. Halli...
Category

1930s Art Deco Figurative Paintings

Materials

Ballpoint Pen

February 14th - Travel LMS, 1930 poster design by A. E. Halliwell
Located in London, GB
A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987) February 14th - Travel LMS Gouache 31 x 20 cm c.1930 Artist's stamp to reverse Provenance: Family of the artist A.E. Halliwell (1905–1986) was a British...
Category

1930s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Gouache

Abstract Figure in Yellow and Blue watercolour by Charles Pulsford ARSA
Located in London, GB
To see our other Modern British Art, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" - or send us a message if you cannot find the artist you want. Charles Pulsford ARSA (1912 - 1989) Abstract Figure in Yellow and Blue Watercolour and ink with wax resist 56 x 38 cm Signed lower right. An abstract figure in arresting colours. The artist plays with the intersection of round and lateral mark-making to form a human figure, perhaps reminiscent of a crucifixion. Pulsford's skill as an abstract landscape artist is also evident here, with the form suggestive of natural and industrial topography like fields, rivers, railway tracks, and electric pylons. Pulsford was born in Staffordshire to Scottish parents. His family returned to Dunfermline when he was a child, and he subsequently attended Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) between 1933 and 1937. He, along with other prominent Scottish artists, embraced modernism and abstraction following the end of the war. Alan Davie, William...
Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

You May Also Like

Blue and Yellow Figures - Lithograph by Alberto Cavallari - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Blue and Yellow Figures is a lithograph on paper realized by Alberto Cavallari in the 1970s. Hand-signed, and numbered, edition of 100 prints. Good conditions.
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Nu de femme en jaune et bleu, Regards sur Paris, André Beaudin
By Andre Beaudin
Located in Auburn Hills, MI
Lithograph on vélin d’Arches paper. Inscription: unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: from the folio, Regards sur Paris, 1963. Published by André Sauret, Paris;...
Category

1960s Modern Landscape Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Vintage Poster - Offset Print by H. Bodnar Kaczynska - 1974
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Poster is an offset print on paper realized by H. Bodnar Kaczynska in 1974. Colored offset. Good condition and aged. The artwork is a film manifest.
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Prints

Materials

Offset

Abstract female in blues and yellow by Modern British 20th C artist, Ewart Johns
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
A really striking and original work by mid century Modern British artist, Ewart Johns (1923 - 2013). This eye-catching piece depicted in contrasting yellows and blues was executed i...
Category

20th Century Abstract Abstract Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Paper

Woman in Yellow - Screen Print by Nicola Simbari - 1970s
By Nicola Simbari
Located in Roma, IT
Woman in Yellow is a screen print realized by Nicola Simbari in 1976. Hand signed and dated in pencil lower right (Simbari 76). Edition of 90 prints. The artwork represents a female...
Category

1970s Contemporary Landscape Prints

Materials

Screen

Woman in Yellow - Screen Print by Nicola Simbari - 1976
By Nicola Simbari
Located in Roma, IT
Numbered and hand Signed. Edition of 99 prints. Very good conditions.
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Prints

Materials

Screen