This vibrant 1981 original travel poster by Roger Bezombes, created for Air France, is a striking blend of contemporary design and national pride. Commissioned to promote travel to France and Europe, the poster features a bold and stylized depiction of the Eiffel Tower, centrally framed by a surrealist collage of color blocks, abstract shapes, and textures that immediately evoke the excitement of international exploration.
Bezombes’ artistic approach is unmistakably modern and playful. The composition centers on a richly saturated photograph of Place de la Concorde, with the Eiffel Tower rising above a kaleidoscopic reinterpretation of Paris. The surrounding border, filled with hand-drawn elements and irregular patterns, infuses the image with a tactile, almost childlike energy—at once avant-garde and accessible. A small green street sign reading "Place du Concorde" anchors the location while the layered colors and textures nod to both the physical vibrancy of Paris and the imaginative potential of travel itself.
The typography is equally expressive, with the word "France" appearing in a deliberately mismatched, cut-out style, next to a bold red "Europe"—suggesting a dynamic intersection of tradition and reinvention. At the base of the poster sits the iconic Air France logo, subtly reminding the viewer that this artistic journey begins with a flight.
Bezombes, a celebrated French painter, printmaker, and designer, was known for fusing fine art with commercial design, and this poster is a quintessential example of that philosophy. Rather than rely on straightforward tourism imagery, he crafts an emotional and artistic invitation to experience the beauty, energy, and culture of France through a lens of modern art.
Visually rich and conceptually layered, this poster remains a vivid emblem of 1980s graphic design and a bold representation of France’s role as a cultural hub in Europe. It is a perfect collector’s piece for lovers of travel ephemera, modernist art, and vintage airline graphics.
Abstract - Airline - Eiffel Tower
Mourlot Paris
Good condition, moisture stains at the bottom left
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