Created in 1919, this original French poster by Firmin Bouisset was printed in colour lithography by the Imprimerie de Vaugirard in Paris. It promoted France’s Fifth National Loan and invited the public to subscribe through the London County & Westminster Bank (Paris) Ltd at its prestigious Place Vendôme branch.
Issued shortly after the end of the First World War, the campaign sought to mobilise private savings for the payment of wartime debts and the reconstruction of France. Banks played an essential role in collecting public subscriptions, transforming financial investment into an expression of national commitment.
At the centre of the composition, an allegorical figure of Marianne advances triumphantly while raising the French Tricolour and the British Union flag. Crowned with laurel and dressed in a flowing white gown, she represents victory, peace and the continuing alliance between France and Great Britain. The flags fill the upper part of the image, creating a powerful sense of movement and patriotic unity.
The slogan, “Alliés dans la Guerre, Unis dans la Paix”—“Allies in War, United in Peace”—expresses the poster’s central message. Its warm golden tones, monumental figure and bold lettering combine political symbolism with the visual impact of commercial advertising.
Firmin Bouisset (1859–1925) was a French painter, illustrator and poster designer known for creating some of the most memorable images of early French advertising. His celebrated campaigns for Chocolat Menier and LU biscuits established his reputation for clear, engaging compositions. This historically significant poster will appeal to collectors of First World War imagery, French financial posters, Anglo-French history and works by Firmin Bouisset.
Original poster
Economy - Banking - United Kingdom
Allies in the United War in Peace - Subscribe to the London County & Westminster Bank (Paris)
De Vaugirard Paris
Good condition, small tears on the edges
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