An atmospheric SAS travel poster showing a café-lined street in Montmartre, Paris. Dark branches and buildings frame a colourful scene of turquoise shutters, pink façades and a vivid red café awning. Above the rooftops, the pale domes of Sacré-Cœur glow against the dark sky, with a small aircraft passing overhead.
Otto Nielsen’s expressive brushwork gives the scene a lively, theatrical quality. Pink “Paris” lettering and the large SAS name complete this distinctive piece of Scandinavian airline advertising.
Printing method: colour offset lithography on paper
Printed by Axel Andreasen & Sønner, Copenhagen.
Provenance: 981121
Artist: Otto Nielsen, with his small “ON” monogram in the artwork
Dimensions: 39 in x 25 in (100 cm x 62 cm)
Otto Nielsen (1916–2000) was a Danish illustrator and painter best known for his colourful SAS travel posters and calendars. He travelled widely to gather material, capturing people, animals and places through lively drawing and expressive colour. His SAS calendars appeared from the 1950s into the 1970s. This Paris poster shows his ability to turn a familiar destination into an inviting scene, combining recognisable landmarks with the atmosphere of everyday street life.
The tiny white “ON” monogram visible at the lower left of the illustrated area is consistent with Nielsen’s signature.
Uses SAS’s original 1950s three-shield crown logo (representing Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) and features the silhouette of a 1950s long-range four-engine airliner (DC-6/DC-7 era) flying above.
SAS was formed in 1946 through cooperation between the Danish, Norwegian and Swedish national airlines. Its posters became an important expression of postwar Scandinavian graphic design—usually restrained typography combined with unusually painterly destination imagery.
Because of the age of these posters, there are areas of wear and tear, particularly on the edges. I have done my best to take photos where they are torn or stained. The good news is that when framed, the tears press up well against glass, and edges can be hidden by mats. Any wear picked up from years are part of the vintage charm.
When framed these colourful and detailed posters, with vibrant colours can become a centre piece for any room, to remind us of a simpler time.
These posters are sent as unframed. They will be delivered in a cardboard tube for protection.
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