Leslie Ragan, New York Central / The Century in the Highlands of the Hudson vintage poster

Lot description

Leslie Ragan New York Central / The Century in the Highlands of the Hudson vintage poster c. 1944 33.5 h x 16 w in (85 x 41 cm) Cognizant of the fact that superior graphics can be transplanted into different surroundings with an equally stunning impact, Ragan transposed his streamlined locomotive previously seen on the banks of the Hudson (see PAI-LXXXIII, 441) into the autumnal splendor of the Hudson Highlands. Very few changes have been made to the 20th century, but the change in location highlights the technological marvel of design and transportation as it simultaneously generates a panoramic reason to ride the rails. This poster includes a detailed map of the rail line's routes from Boston to Chicago. Like many early 20th century railroad advertisements, the composition pairs an idealized American landscape with the commanding presence of the locomotive, presenting travel as both scenic escape and progress. Sunlight glancing across its polished surface evokes the Art Deco fascination with speed and elegance, while underscoring the talent of Ragan, an Iowa-born artist trained at the Art Institute of Chicago, whose celebrated career produced more than one hundred posters for the New York Central Railroad alone. A variant of this poster design is held in the collection of the Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY. Literature: (all var): Travel by Train, 152; Favre/Chemin de Fer, p. 109; PAI-LXXXV, 418 This work will ship from Chicago, Illinois.