1930
Colour lithograph (black/orange), 101.6x127cm
Edition: printed by Avenue Press
Inscription: monogram on print b.r. Lettering by Brangwyn: ‘THE FORTH-BRIDGE/L.N.E.R EAST COAST ROUTE’. ‘Published by the London & North Eastern Railway’ b.l. and ‘Lithograph by Frank Brangwyn RA’ b.c. and ‘Printed in England by the Avenue Press, London WC2’ b.r.
Owners: Glasgow (PR.1944.2.al). Leicestershire. London V&A (E.284-2000) transferred from London BM. New Haven (B1992.22.20) Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund. Wolverhampton (W460) black and blue. York NRM (1988-8039 and 1989-7114) black and orange.
Study: Pwu, photograph EP283/155, inscribed verso ‘1306 Forth Bridge’ (not Brangwyn’s hand) together with photographer’s stamp ‘A H Robinson’. Prov: Edgar Peacock; Edgar Horns, Eastbourne, 20 September 2000, Lot 283
Illustrated: Edelstein Teri J (Ed), Art for all. British posters for Transport, Yale Center for British in association with Yale University Press, 2010, p147
Film: Mapleston/Horner, 2006
Very dramatic poster showing pylon of bridge left and structure of bridge silhoutted against a sunburst sky. The slogan was an example of ‘reminder advertising’, first employed by LNER, whereby passengers were reminded of the routes each railway company provided. The railway bridge across the Firth of Forth in Scotland, constructed in 1890, was the world’s first major steel structure and is still the world’s longest cantilever bridge and allowed trains to travel from London to Aberdeen. The bridge obviously fascinated the artist because he owned various photographs and a book about the structure.