Wake Up, America!, 1917.
Artist James Montgomery Flagg
Training Art Students League of New York
Career Iluustrator, designed the best known war recruiting poster, the iconic I Want You for the US Army, featuring the image of Uncle Sam.
Imagery in Wake Up America!:
Context
Artist James Montgomery Flagg
Training Art Students League of New York
Career Iluustrator, designed the best known war recruiting poster, the iconic I Want You for the US Army, featuring the image of Uncle Sam.
Imagery in Wake Up America!:
- Columbia (Personification of America) reclines in a chair, eyes closed, wearing a Phyrgian cap (symbol of liberty since Roman times, esp. common in French Revolutionary imagery).
- Symbolizes America asleep. Message is to “wake up and do your part in the war effort.”
Context
- US non-interventionism
- Woodrow Wilson re-elected w/slogan “He kept us out of the war”
- Congress declared war April 6, 1917
- Many well known artists and illustrators contributed their work to the war effort.
- Committee of Public Information’s Division of Pictorial Publicity
Posters as Propaganda
Posters used for:
- During WWI the impact of the poster as means of communication was greater than at any time in history.
- Ability to inspire, inform, persuade and boost morale. Tool for broad dissemination of information during the war. During WWII, more posters were printed but they no longer were a primary source of information (competing w/more wide-spread radio and film).
- During WWI, the US produced more propaganda posters than any other country, despite the late entry into the war.
- may also consider propaganda films
Posters used for:
- enlistment & recruitment
- war bonds & funds
- food issues (e.g. victory gardens)
- inspire patriotism w/national symbols, boost morale