Grandes heures de l'amitié Franco-Suisse 1967

Created in 1967, this original exhibition poster was designed by P. F. to promote Grandes Heures de l'Amitié Franco-Suisse ("Great Moments of Franco-Swiss Friendship"), an exhibition held at the Archives Nationales in the historic Hôtel de Rohan, Paris, from May 24 to July 2, 1967. Organized during a period of growing European cultural cooperation, the exhibition celebrated centuries of political, diplomatic, military, and artistic ties between France and Switzerland.

The poster is dominated by an elaborate heraldic composition centered around the coat of arms of the House of Rohan, one of France's most distinguished noble families and the historic owners of the Hôtel de Rohan. The royal blue shield adorned with golden fleurs-de-lis is crowned and surrounded by richly ornamented decorative elements, ceremonial weapons, laurel and oak branches, and a garland of cantonal and regional flags representing the close historical links between the two neighboring nations. At the base of the composition, two clasped hands emerging from clouds symbolize the enduring friendship and mutual respect celebrated by the exhibition.

Elegantly balanced between historical illustration and refined graphic design, the poster evokes the traditions of heraldry while maintaining the clarity and sophistication characteristic of French exhibition posters of the 1960s. The restrained typography allows the magnificent central emblem to command attention, creating an image that is both ceremonial and timeless.

Produced to accompany this prestigious exhibition at the Archives Nationales, the poster reflects France's renewed interest during the post-war decades in presenting shared European heritage through major cultural events. Rather than focusing on a single historical episode, the exhibition highlighted centuries of exchanges in diplomacy, military alliances, commerce, scholarship, and artistic achievement that helped shape relations between France and Switzerland.

Original exhibition posters from the Archives Nationales were generally printed in limited quantities for public display and institutional promotion, making surviving examples increasingly desirable to collectors. Combining historical significance with elegant heraldic imagery, this poster appeals equally to enthusiasts of European history, French graphic design, museum exhibition posters, and decorative twentieth-century prints.

Today, Grandes Heures de l'Amitié Franco-Suisse stands as an exceptional example of mid-century French exhibition design. Rich in symbolism and beautifully executed, it remains both an important historical document and a striking decorative poster celebrating one of Europe's oldest and most enduring international friendships.

Original Poster

Exhibition - Switzerland - France

In the National Archives at the Hotel de Rohan

Good condition, slight dirt