eMuseum

The Museum of Design's poster collection is considered to be one of the largest and most important archives of its kind in the world. Over 330,000 objects illustrate the history of the poster in Switzerland and abroad, from its beginnings in the mid-19th century, to today. The collection includes political, cultural and commercial posters. The collection's historical and geographical diversity, along with its broad thematic content, offers both a tour d'horizon of poster art and a visual archive of everyday life.

Every month the virtual poster exhibitions on the APG|SGA website show a new selection of items from the Museum of Design Zurich's poster collection – all linked to an annual theme.

On lakes and beaches, meadows and hillsides

There is nothing more wonderful than swimming in cool water on a hot summer's day, or lying in a flowery meadow after an exhausting hike.  Certainly since the reform movement at the beginning of the 20th century, outdoor physical activity in the fresh air and sun has been considered a core part of a healthy, fulfilling life, and essential for achieving harmony and freedom. What we now lack in freedom, adventure and physical challenge in our sedentary yet hectic lives, we try to make up for during the short summer. Adverts’ promises seem all the more wonderful to us then – toned bodies are celebrated on wide beaches, against glistening waters and rugged mountain peaks. Nowadays we hardly ever view these messages as a visual representation of the ideal to which people strived during the Life Reform, but rather as an expression of our hedonistic leisure society.

Zürrer Reklame Strandbad Wädenswil 1935	anonym „Le Club“ – Club Mediterranée 1982	anonym San Sebastian 1934
Perybèr Les Vacances en Bretagne – Saint-Cast 1928	Laus Lauesen Dänemark – Sonniges Sommerland 1958	Ron Dumas, Nike Design The Endless Summer 1972
anonym Grieder – Les Boutiques 1986	Werbeagentur Dr. Rudolf Farner Jantzen 1964	Knapp Communications Corporation Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games 1984
Alois Carigiet Waldbad Waid-Berg Zürich 1935	Willi Trapp Strandbad Davos 1933	Alex Walter Diggelmann Gstaad – Championnat suisse de natation 1931
anonym Flims ca. 1936	A. Gitberg, M. Kanevskij, N. Znamenskij, Ju. Gapeev Turmspringen 1957	Marcus Campbell Lahco - Shortslip 1960
Johann Emil Müller Lausanne-Ouchy Plage 1926	USP Werbeagentur Ferienzeit - Sommersportzeit 1982	Daniele Buzzi Locarno Plage - Wassersport 1928
anonym ohne Text ca. 1920	Otl Aicher München 1972 1972	Lech Majewski Junioren- Europameisterschaft im Kajak 1973
Armin Bieber Rowing-Club Bern 1925	Otl Aicher München 1972 – Kanu Slalom in Augsburg 1972	anonym Sommersporte in der Schweiz 1927
Otto Baumberger Schweizer Segelschule - Thunersee 1943	anonym Ever Float Schwimmweste 1969	Ernst Gass ohne Text 1943
Rudolf Mülli Bally 1946	anonym Sommersport in der Schweiz 1927	Emile Cardinaux Bally Sportschuhe 1928

Poster collection of the Museum of Design Zurich

The poster collection of the Museum of Design Zurich is one of the most extensive and important archives of its kind in the world. Around 350,000 objects, 120,000 of them inventoried, document Swiss and international poster history – including political, commercial and cultural posters – from its beginnings in the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. The collection’s historical, thematic and geographical diversity offers both an overview of poster art and a look into a visual archive of the everyday world.  An online catalogue can be used to search for 34,000 posters. www.emuseum.ch. This catalogue is continually expanded.

Rights

The images from this online exhibition are part of the digital catalogue of the Museum of Design Zurich's poster collection and serve exclusively as examples. Any third-party use – publication of images or other commercial application – without the authorization of the copyright holder is not permissible. For information on how to order posters, please e-mail: plakatsammlung@zhdk.ch