Commonly Depicted in Toronto Posters
Whether they’re advertising the city’s vibrant food scene or its hockey teams, Toronto posters often feature images of the Canadian metropolis that are both evocative and memorable. They may be a great addition to the home of any fan or tourist, or they could also be used to decorate a library or den.
While the use of toronto posters to announce government news and encourage military service has a long history, their prominence rose dramatically during the First World War. As the war intensified, the government instituted an extensive propaganda campaign that relied on posters to reach a broad audience. Local regiments, businesses, charitable organizations and private individuals also produced their own posters.
Posters communicated a wide range of themes to the public, from patriotic messages and calls to action to images of wartime hardships and challenges. Some of the most common images featured young men and women in training for military service. Others portrayed civilians in the work of their trade, with an emphasis on the value of working together as a nation to support the war effort.
What Themes Are Commonly Depicted in Toronto Posters?
The notion that a sense of patriotism and loyalty to Britain were the key components in keeping a nation unified was one of the most powerful messages in the wartime posters. It was a message that was especially potent in Canada, where many of the same traditions of the British Empire still shaped attitudes towards citizenship and patriotism.
This poster, like many of the others, relied on images that evoked the concept of the stoic country squire popularized by English satirical artists in the 1790s. Known as John Bull, this character was a symbol of British strength and steadfastness during times of crisis, and it appeared frequently on posters.
Heroism was another important theme of the wartime posters. It was a concept that shifted away from the mythic elements of flags, bravado and adventure that pervaded earlier posters to a more complex and measured sense of duty and sacrifice. In this poster, a soldier stares off into the distance with an expression of determination and conviction.
Ultimately, with victory in sight, the posters focused less on military themes and more on encouraging citizens to buy Victory Bonds. By promoting the idea that purchasing bonds would allow Canadians to return to their consumer lifestyles with a sense of pride, the posters effectively encouraged Canadians to keep up their morale and to show their commitment to their country after the war was over.
While the posters enlisted Canadians to contribute their time, energy and money to the war effort, they also played on the fears and anxieties that arose about what life would be like after the armistice. To allay these concerns, the posters encouraged people to prepare for a future of prosperity and opportunity by saving. By the end of the war, posters that pictured the realities of warfare and soldiers were replaced by images of a prosperous economy.
