Paris - Saint Germain des Prés 1958

This original 1958 tourism poster, photographed by Delmas, captures the spirit of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, one of Paris’s most storied and culturally rich neighborhoods. Issued as part of a French tourism campaign in the postwar era, this image invites viewers into the intellectual and artistic heart of the Left Bank.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés, centered around its Romanesque abbey, has long been synonymous with Parisian sophistication. By the 1950s, it had become a vibrant hub of existentialist philosophy, jazz, literature, and avant-garde art. Frequented by figures like Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Juliette Gréco, and Boris Vian, the area symbolized a creative rebirth and a cosmopolitan way of life that captivated both Parisians and foreign visitors.

Delmas's photography in this poster reflects the documentary realism embraced in mid-century French travel promotion. Rather than romanticized illustration, the image relies on atmosphere, architecture, and street life to convey the authentic charm of the quartier. The poster would have appealed to travelers seeking a deeper, more cultured experience of Paris—beyond just monuments and boulevards.

Today, this piece stands as a nostalgic reminder of 1950s Paris, an era when Saint-Germain-des-Prés was both a destination and a state of mind.

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Good condition