This striking 1950 original travel poster by Monique Cras promotes Nouvelle-Calédonie, presented evocatively as “l’île de lumière” — the island of light. Produced in the post-war era to encourage tourism and interest in France’s Pacific territories, the poster reflects both the optimism of mid-century travel culture and the visual language of modern graphic design.
The composition features a stylised island figure framed by decorative motifs, holding a conch shell against a vibrant tropical backdrop. Bold colour contrasts, expressive brushwork, and simplified forms give the poster a lively, almost painterly quality, typical of mid-20th-century travel advertising that blended fine art sensibilities with promotional imagery.
Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the poster captures a historical moment when distant destinations were being reimagined for international tourism. It evokes exoticism, warmth, and natural beauty while also reflecting the visual conventions of its time in depicting overseas territories.
Today, this poster is appreciated as both a decorative artwork and a cultural document — a vivid example of 1950s French travel promotion and the enduring allure of Pacific landscapes in graphic design.
Original Poster
Tourism - Colony - France
Printed by R. Sicard in Paris
Good condition, minor restorations
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