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Edward McKnight KaufferCirca 1930 original poster by Edward McKnight Kauffer for London UndergroundCirca 1930
Circa 1930
$1,082.64
£794.45
€900
CA$1,471.83
A$1,648.64
CHF 857.11
MX$20,357.35
NOK 10,918.88
SEK 10,322.10
DKK 6,850.62
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About the Item
This striking circa 1930 original poster by visionary graphic designer Edward McKnight Kauffer is a bold celebration of modernity, energy, and infrastructure. Created for London Underground, it encapsulates the dynamism of the city’s transport system through a powerful fusion of Futurism, Cubism, and Art Deco aesthetics.
The composition is electrifying—literally and visually. A clenched fist, symbolic of industrial strength, channels bolts of energy from a stylized power station directly into the Underground’s circular logo, rendered with mechanical precision. The word “POWER” climbs vertically in rhythmic typography, while the tagline “The Nerve Centre of London’s Underground” anchors the image with urgent, modernist clarity. Every graphic element hums with purpose, conveying the essential role of electricity in propelling the city forward.
McKnight Kauffer, a pioneering American designer in Britain, revolutionized poster art with his avant-garde approach. Commissioned extensively by London Transport, he sought not just to advertise, but to educate the public on the unseen mechanisms that powered their daily lives.
Though printed in a compact format, this poster delivers maximum visual impact—a distillation of interwar optimism, industrial faith, and bold graphic experimentation. It is a rare and iconic piece that speaks to both design history and urban mythology.
An essential addition for collectors of early modern graphic design, transport ephemera, or the visual culture of progress, this is Kauffer at his most electrifying.
Transport - United Kingdom - Art Deco
Metro - London
- Creator:Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 - 1954, American)
- Creation Year:Circa 1930
- Dimensions:Height: 8.27 in (21 cm)Width: 5.12 in (13 cm)
- Medium:
- Period:
- Condition:Very good condition, mon linen.
- Gallery Location:PARIS, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1792216100412
Edward McKnight Kauffer
Edward McKnight Kauffer was an American artist and graphic designer. He lived in the UK from the outbreak of the First World War and is best known for the posters he designed for Shell Mex BP and his 140 London Underground posters. In 1940, Kauffer returned to the USA, where he struggled to obtain work until American Airlines took him on in 1947.
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