Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7

Paul Colin
1952 original poster by Paul Colin - Non aux accords de Bonn et de Paris

1952

$1,610.50
£1,190.51
€1,350
CA$2,233.85
A$2,435.38
CHF 1,286.81
MX$29,949.47
NOK 16,000.43
SEK 15,062.29
DKK 10,279.56

About the Item

Created in 1952 by celebrated French graphic artist Paul Colin, this powerful poster stands as a stark visual rejection of the Bonn and Paris Agreements—key treaties aimed at rearming West Germany and integrating it into Western military structures during the early Cold War. Commissioned by the Conseil National du Mouvement de la Paix, France’s national peace movement, the poster became a symbol of leftist and pacifist resistance against what was seen as a dangerous escalation of militarization in postwar Europe. The design is deceptively simple but emotionally charged. Against a muted olive background, a group of large, inky black birds—resembling crows or vultures—swoop downward, forming a chaotic, almost menacing composition. Their stark forms contrast heavily with the background, evoking fear, death, and foreboding. The bold headline at the top—“NON aux accords de Bonn et de Paris”—is uncompromising in its message, its large black letters echoing the weight of the birds themselves. Tucked in the bottom corner is a small line drawing of a couple embracing, a delicate symbol of human vulnerability and the yearning for peace amidst geopolitical tension. Colin’s poster was part of a broader movement opposing West Germany’s rearmament and integration into NATO, which many in France, particularly within the communist and peace-activist spheres, feared would destabilize a fragile postwar Europe and provoke further conflict with the Soviet bloc. This sentiment was especially strong among those who had lived through two devastating world wars. Blending avant-garde visual techniques with political urgency, this poster is a striking example of how design and activism intersect. Paul Colin, best known for his Art Deco work and collaborations with Josephine Baker, shows here a different facet of his artistry—one that embraces raw minimalism and emotional immediacy to communicate a deep and urgent call for peace. Politics - War - 39-45 - France National Council of the Peace Movement - Special to the council Printed in Paris
  • Creator:
    Paul Colin (1892 - 1985, French)
  • Creation Year:
    1952
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 47.25 in (120 cm)Width: 30.71 in (78 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Good condition, creases, small tears.
  • Gallery Location:
    PARIS, FR
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1792216907782

More From This Seller

View All
1953 poster by renowned graphic artist Paul Colin - Électricité de France
By Paul Colin
Located in PARIS, FR
This strikingly modernist 1953 poster by renowned graphic artist Paul Colin highlights Électricité de France (EDF) and its initiative, Parts de Production, reflecting the optimism an...
Category

1950s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Linen, Paper, Lithograph

1953 Original Poster by Paul Colin for the electricity of France
By Paul Colin
Located in PARIS, FR
Very beautiful poster that was made by Paul Colin 🇫🇷 (1892-1985), a French painter, designer, costume designer, set designer and poster artist. Paul Colin is considered one of the...
Category

1950s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph, Paper

Circa 1950 original poster by Standenmeyer - L'armée de l'Air Une protection
Located in PARIS, FR
This circa 1950 original poster, designed by Standenmeyer, is a powerful representation of the French Air Force ("L’Armée de l’Air") and its protective role. With its bold graphic de...
Category

1950s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

1951 original poster by French graphic artist Paul Colin - Bal des arts - Paris
By Paul Colin
Located in PARIS, FR
This striking 1951 original poster by the renowned French graphic artist Paul Colin announces the celebrated Bal des Arts, held on June 27, 1951 at the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild in...
Category

1950s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Linen, Paper, Lithograph

Circa 1950 original poster by French anti-communist organization Paix et Liberté
Located in PARIS, FR
This bold and striking original poster, titled “Articles d’importation…”, was produced around 1950 by the French anti-communist organization Paix et Liberté. It stands as a dramatic artifact of Cold War propaganda, emblematic of the ideological battle waged in post-war Europe between democratic capitalism and Soviet-backed communism. The image features a brown briefcase emblazoned with the Soviet hammer and sickle, ominously opened to reveal a pistol and a set of colorful files labeled with the threats allegedly “imported” by communism: Troubles (Unrest) Sabotages Trahisons (Betrayals) Grèves politiques (Political Strikes) Agressions Rendered in bold color contrasts and menacing tones, the poster sends a clear message: communism, according to its creators, brings only violence, subversion, and political destabilization. The visual language is unmistakably designed to provoke anxiety, portraying the ideology not as a political alternative, but as a foreign-born virus—imported to corrupt national unity and peace. The poster was issued by Paix et Liberté, a French anti-communist propaganda group founded in 1950 by Jean-Paul David with backing from U.S. intelligence and support from various centrist and conservative factions in France. The organization was created at a time when the French Communist Party (PCF) enjoyed considerable popularity, particularly among workers and intellectuals, and when the Soviet Union’s influence loomed heavily over Europe. This work is a powerful example of Cold War visual rhetoric, using graphic design as a weapon in the psychological war against ideological opponents. The hammer and sickle becomes not just a symbol of another worldview, but a mark of treachery—its presence inside a briefcase evoking clandestine operations, infiltration, and national betrayal. Artistically, the poster is clean and direct, designed for mass appeal and clarity, much like other propaganda tools of the era. The use of heavy shadows, fiery red text, and the looming black background all contribute to a sense of covert danger and unease. Today, “Articles d’importation…” serves not only as a historical artifact from the peak of Cold War paranoia but also as a critical piece of political graphic art, reminding us how imagery and language can be mobilized to shape public sentiment, sow division, and influence the tides of democracy. Political - Cold war poster...
Category

1950s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Linen, Paper, Lithograph

1950 original poster by P. E. Clairin - Quinzaine de Saint-Germain-des-Prés
By Pierre-Eugène Clairin
Located in PARIS, FR
The 1950 original poster by P. E. Clairin for the Quinzaine de Saint-Germain-des-Prés: Carrefour des Lettres et des Arts is a cultural emblem of post-war Paris. This poster was creat...
Category

1950s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph, Linen, Paper

You May Also Like

Original 1945 Paris (France) vintage travel poster travel by train
By Paul Colin
Located in Spokane, WA
Original PARIS linen-backed 1946 vintage travel poster, preservation linen-backed and ready to frame. Very good condition, Grade A- Original 1946 Paul Colin Paris Vintage Poster ...
Category

1940s American Modern Landscape Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Original Affiches Paul Mohr Compagnie Nationale des Papers 1932 vintage poster
Located in Spokane, WA
Original small format poster Affiches Paul Mohr, 1932. Archival linen backed in excellent condition, ready to frame. The rare Paul Mohr posters are incredibly elusive; many have had only one remaining known copy survive. Printing method: Helio-Typo or Typelo. Before television, beautiful lithographs adorn the streets and walls of Paris and other European cities. Art for the street, art for the public. Weather and rain would destroy these works of art by renowned artists, only to be replaced. The artist: Paul Gustave Mohr, a French Avant-garde poster designer from the Art Deco period was born Sept. 4, 1890 in Ham, France and died on April 13, 1959 in Paris. He lived most of his life in Paris, and then settled in the small town of Asnieres, France, just outside of Paris. He attended the Sorbonne University, as well as several art schools. During World War I, he was a pilot in the French Army from 1914-1917. Paul Mohr married Jeanne Levy in 1917 and they had three daughters: Helene, Genevieve, and Jacqueline. As an artist, he designed advertising posters from 1920 to 1940. His posters advertised Wonder cycles, Dainty cycles, Lustucru pasta, Banania sugar, Bremsit brakes, Champigneulles beer, L'Union beer, Dubonnet wine, as well as shoes and ham. This information was provided to me by my mother, Helene Mohr Breitenbucher, who was his eldest daughter. Carol Schuler (granddaughter) Advertising posters, the affiches of Paul Mohr. This is an original advertising poster for the affiches (posters) created by the master artist Paul Mohr (1890-1959). Archival linen backed in very good condition. No stains, no tears, no paper loss. Grade A condition. Ready to frame. Compagnie Nationale des Papier, Paris. The crowd on the street looks up in amazement at the art deco-style images that the artist created. Images on the wall feature incredible image that this artist created such as Lustucru, Amer...
Category

1930s Art Deco Figurative Prints

Materials

Offset

Vintage Poster Galerie Jacques Péron - Original Lithograph and Offset - 1960s
Located in Roma, IT
Manifest Galerie Jacques Péron is an original colored lithograph on wove paper realized for an exhibition of Various Artists in 1960s. The artwork is signed and dated. Good Condi...
Category

1960s Contemporary Abstract Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Original Vintage Advertising Poster Paris Exposition Internationale Art Deco
By Paul Colin
Located in London, GB
Original vintage advertising poster for the Paris 1937 Exposition Internationale / International Exhibition held from May to November featuring a...
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Posters

Materials

Paper

Original Vintage French War Propaganda Poster No To War Peace Fighters WWII
Located in London, GB
Original vintage World War Two propaganda poster - Non a la Guerre! Formez vos Comites de la Paix / No to War! Form your Peace Committees - featuring a dynamic illustration of a man ...
Category

Vintage 1940s French Posters

Materials

Paper

Vintage Poster Galerie Louis Carré - Lithograph and offset by A. Lanskoy - 1957
By André Lanskoy
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Poster Galerie Louis Carré is a lithograph and offset print realized by André Lanskoy in 1957. Good conditions except for slight cutting and foldi...
Category

1950s Modern Abstract Prints

Materials

Lithograph, Offset