Lucien Boucher

Air France Map - Blue Pink

1959

Created in the 1950's by the artist Lucien Boucher, this is one of a series of posters commissioned by Air France to show their routes around the world. The artist uses small local s...

In the post-World War ll era, Air France was rapidly expanding its routes for commercial air travel. This expansion was heavily promoted by the effective use of original posters crea...

This is an early original stone lithograph poster created by the noted artist Maurus, for Air France. In In this image he shows vignettes of various destinations that Air France flie...

The Parisian Woman is one of legend - elegant, carefree, and endlessly chic. Jean Cocteau used this motif in his lighthearted design for Air France. Scarf tied around her hair, with the ubiquitous cigarette in hand, the woman gazes out above the City of Lights. Her smoke curls into text, turning into the tracks of an airplane in the sky. Jean Cocteau (1889 -1963) was a French poet, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. Cocteau was a member of the social elite in Paris and was close with cultural icons such as Pablo Picasso, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Igor Stravinsky, Édith Piaf, and Jean Genet. He sought to explore all arenas of the art world instead of focusing on one branch, which was considered controversial at the time. As an artist, Cocteau belonged to the Return to Order School (coined after one of his literary works), which rejected cubism and the avant-garde. Stylistically, his art combines elements of Romanticism and Surrealism in unique ways. Air France was formed in 1933 through a merger of several smaller international companies. These smaller airlines had already built extensive networks across the world, and when combined under the Air France umbrella they created an exciting accessibility to fliers. Air France remains one of the most highly regarded international airlines, servicing 78 countries around the world. It served as France's primary national flag carrier for seven decades prior to its 2003 merger with KLM...

The circa 1950 Air France "Réseau Aérien Mondial" poster, designed by French illustrator Lucien Boucher, is a vivid representation of the ai...

In 1939, Lucien Boucher, a renowned French artist and illustrator, created a captivating map for Air France titled "Nova et Vetera", which translates to "New and Old" in Latin. This original lithographic poster is a remarkable fusion of vintage cartographic art and modern aviation, crafted as a promotional piece for the airline. It beautifully symbolizes the connection between the historic routes of exploration and the new ones made possible by air travel. Boucher was celebrated for his unique ability to combine the romanticism of classic maps with the sleek, modern spirit of 20th-century flight. Among his series of illustrated maps for Air France, "Nova et Vetera" stands out with its nostalgic allure and references to history. The map exudes the charm of the age of exploration, echoing the style of 16th- and 17th-century cartographers. Rendered in rich, earthy tones, it depicts brown continents framed by pale blue oceans, evoking the feel of antique navigational...

Original vintage planisphere travel route map poster promoting Air France - New and Old - On the Old Land with the New Paths / Nova et Vetera - Sur La Vieille Terre des Chemin Nouvea...

The circa 1950 original poster by Lucien Boucher, Air France Réseau Aérien Mondial, is a notable example of mid-20th-century commercial art designed to promote the global air routes of Air France. Lucien Boucher, a renowned French illustrator and poster artist, became closely associated with Air France due to his series of beautifully crafted world map posters, often referred to as "planispheres." These maps were produced between the 1930s and 1960s, highlighting the growing reach of Air France as international air travel expanded after World War II. Boucher's work is known for its combination of cartographic precision and artistic creativity. His Air France posters were not just functional tools for navigation but were also designed to evoke a sense of adventure and the allure of global travel. They capture the optimism of an era when air travel was becoming more accessible and increasingly viewed as the future of international transportation. In this particular poster, Boucher uses artistic elements like vibrant colors, symbolic depictions of different regions, and various modes of transportation to showcase Air France’s extensive global routes. The poster's style reflects the influence of both Art Deco and traditional mapmaking, blending modernity with classical touches. The planes are seen flying across the map, connecting continents, while small details like ships, animals, and historical figures embellish the poster, each representing the diverse cultures and histories of the regions Air France serviced. These posters were often printed by French lithography studio Perceval, known for its high-quality production, further enhancing the visual appeal of Boucher’s work. The Réseau Aérien Mondial map posters are not just travel advertisements but also collectible pieces of art, highly valued by collectors of vintage aviation...