Interlaken Suisse 1955

In the golden age of postwar European travel, the Swiss National Tourist Office commissioned a new wave of vibrant, aspirational posters to lure visitors to its alpine paradises. Among the most iconic of these is this 1955 original poster for Interlaken, masterfully designed by Swiss graphic artist Von Allmen.

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the snow-draped Jungfrau massif, the composition frames a tranquil summer moment by the lakeside. Two young women, dressed in classic mid-century leisurewear, lean forward to feed a pair of elegant white swans — a tableau of innocence, serenity, and alpine charm. Their vivid garments, echoed in the blooming landscape, pop against the cooler blues and greens of water, forest, and mountain.

The town of Interlaken — nestled picturesquely between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz — stretches across the middle ground, its traditional Swiss architecture perfectly integrated into the natural world. Above it looms the Bernese Oberland, silent and sublime, affirming Switzerland’s status as Europe’s sanctuary of health, beauty, and peace.

The clean, sans-serif title “Interlaken” crowns the poster in radiant yellow, its vertical spacing and simplicity evoking the International Typographic Style (Swiss Style) just beginning to define graphic modernism. Along the bottom, “Suisse – Schweiz – Switzerland – Svizzera – Suiza” reminds the viewer of Switzerland’s proud multilingual heritage — and of its central place on the new world map of tourism.

Printed during a period of economic optimism, when international rail and air travel became increasingly accessible, Von Allmen’s poster wasn’t merely advertising a destination — it was offering a vision of European escape, purity, and idealized family life.

Today, this original travel poster stands as a nostalgic symbol of 1950s optimism and the enduring allure of the Swiss Alps. A perfect encapsulation of the era's clean visual rhetoric and romantic longing for nature, it remains a favorite among vintage poster collectors and alpine enthusiasts alike.

Tourism - Mountain - Photography - Switzerland

Printed by Polygraphic in Laupen

Good condition, slight creases, small tears