SPQR (1917)

Edwin Howland Blashfield is the artist behind "SPQR", dated 1917. Context for 1917: Posters, magazines, and illustrated books were major ways for the public to meet new art and design. The first decades of the twentieth century were a period of rapid experiment, with Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, and the first abstract painting appearing within a few years of each other. The catalogue places it in Vintage Posters. The format is square. Background on Vintage Posters: Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and later modernist design each left a recognisable poster style. Colour lithography in the 1890s turned the illustrated poster into a major art form, and cities such as Paris and Prague became centres of poster design.

"SPQR" is offered as a printable file (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI) rather than a shipped item. You receive the files by email after payment and handle printing yourself, which gives you full control over paper, size, and finish. A square format is flexible and works well on its own or as part of a grid on a gallery wall. Vintage posters bring character, graphic texture, and a collected feel to the room, while pairing easily with both contemporary furniture and eclectic styling. Measuring the wall before choosing a size is the simplest way to avoid a print that feels too small or too large. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size.

American, 1848–1936

If you like the visual language of Edwin Howland Blashfield, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.