Olympic Games 1948 London Walter Herz

£5,500.00

Original vintage sports poster for the 1948 London Olympic Games held from 29 July to 14 August, the first Olympics held after World War Two. Iconic design by Walter Herz (b 1909) featuring the Ancient Greek statue of Discobolus of Myron the discus thrower in front of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben with the hands on the clock showing 4:00, the official opening time of the Games, with the five coloured Olympic Rings and dates below. The 1948 London Olympics took place in an atmosphere of "make do and mend" after WWII with food rationing still in place; after the 12 year gap, the event was an important symbolic gesture of a return to normality. The original Discobolus statue was completed in 460-450BC; an early Roman copy was bought for the British Museum in 1805. Lithograph printed by McCorquodale & Co. Ltd., London. Good condition, restored tears, restored folds, restored paper losses on corners, staining, backed on linen. 

Country UK
Year 1948
Artist Walter Herz
Width (cm) 51
Height (cm) 76
Linen backed? Yes

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