Date: 1916
Size: 22.5 x 35.5 inches
Artist: Hal Ross Perrigard (after James McNeill Whistler)
Printer: Harris Lithographing Co. Ltd. Toronto
About the poster : During the First World War, the various governments involved in the conflict produced numerous posters to encourage military recruitment as well as civilian and community participation in the war effort. The Canadian government was no exception: it commissioned various artists and printers to create posters intended to mobilize Canadian society and rally the population to the cause. At the time, posters were one of the primary visual mediums for disseminating information and arguably one of the most effective.
Military posters used various images, symbols, and visual conventions to encourage public participation in the war effort. In this case, artist Hal Ross Perrigard draws inspiration from James McNeill Whistler’s famous painting of his mother, using the maternal figure as a symbol to encourage young men to voluntarily enlist in the army. This poster specifically promotes enlistment in the Irish Canadian Rangers. Founded in 1914, this Montreal-based militia regiment was composed primarily of members of the city's Irish community. During the First World War, its role was to support Canada's military effort, notably through local defence and the recruitment of soldiers for overseas service.
This rare poster is held in the collections of several museums and archival institutions dedicated to the First World War. Please don't hesitate to contact us for further information about this piece.
This poster is in very good condition, with one minor rip (less than a centimeter) along the left side edge and some ink marks in the margins. Please see pictures for more details. A true collector item, ready to framed!
