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The Poster as a Functional Object

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Propaganda and Hogarth's Line of Beauty in the First World War

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Abstract

The Poster as a Functional Object explores the elemental components of a constructed image, such as text and, primarily, Hogarth’s line of beauty as a construct serving to attract the viewer. The values of these constituent factors are examined as they individually and collectively contribute to the role the poster plays as a medium for distributing conflict propaganda, which includes manipulation of a viewer’s nostalgic ideals. Efficient construction of the poster assists in its effective incorporation within a wider propaganda campaign, contributing to the poster’s continuing relevance as a medium for distribution despite competition from technological advances. The importance of the poster in the First World War is examined, alongside the ways in which its heritage effects contemporary visual messaging, including both advertising and propaganda.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Thompson, J. (2007) “Pictorial Lies”?—Posters and Politics in Britain c. 1880–1914 Past & Present No. 197, November 2007, 177–210 p. 180.

  2. 2.

    Ellul, J. (1973) Op. Cit. p. 183.

  3. 3.

    Clark, T. (1997) Op. Cit. p. 10.

  4. 4.

    Ibid. p. 10–1.

  5. 5.

    Creel, G. (1920) How We Advertised America New York: Harper & Brothers p. 133.

  6. 6.

    Ostrow, S. (2005) Op. Cit. p. 226.

  7. 7.

    Weill, A. (1984) Op. Cit. p. 9.

  8. 8.

    Ibid. p. 13.

  9. 9.

    Hardie, M; Sabin, A. K. (Eds.) (1920) War Posters Issued by Belligerent and Neutral Nations 1914–1919 London: A&C Black Ltd. p. 24.

  10. 10.

    Cubitt, S. (2005) Distribution and Media Flows Cultural Politics Vol. 1 Issue 2, 193–214 p. 200.

  11. 11.

    McLuhan, M. (1964) Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd. p. 8.

  12. 12.

    Ibid. p. 7.

  13. 13.

    Creel, G. (1920) Op. Cit. p. 133.

  14. 14.

    Thompson, J. (2007) Op. Cit. p. 209.

  15. 15.

    Adorno, T. (2001) The Culture Industry New York: Routledge Classics p. 63.

  16. 16.

    Dewey, J. (2005) Op. Cit. p. 360.

  17. 17.

    Gregg, F. J. (1918) American Artists and the War: The Effort That Is Being Made To Create And Stimulate Propaganda Through Art Vanity Fair, April 1918 [online] Available from http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/WW1_poster_art_review_pdf [accessed 14 March 2013] 47, 94 p. 94.

  18. 18.

    Ibid. p. 47.

  19. 19.

    Eisenstein, S. (2010) Sergei Eisenstein: Selected Works Volume 1: Writings, 1922–1934 edited by Taylor, R. London: I. B. Tauris & Co Ltd. p. 40–1.

  20. 20.

    Eisenstein, S. (1923) Montazh attrakktsionov Lef no. 3 (June/July) 70–1, 74–5.

  21. 21.

    Eisenstein, S. (2010) Op. Cit. p. 265–6.

  22. 22.

    Taylor, R. (2010) Introduction IN: Eisenstein, S. Sergei Eisenstein: Selected Works Volume 1: Writings, 1922–1934 edited by Taylor, R. London: I. B. Tauris & Co Ltd. 1–24 p. 3.

  23. 23.

    Ibid. p. 3.

  24. 24.

    Ellul, J. (1973) Op. Cit. p. 204.

  25. 25.

    Barthes, R. (1993) Op. Cit. p. 27.

  26. 26.

    Ellul, J. (1973) Op. Cit. p. 204.

  27. 27.

    Fry, R. (1981) Op. Cit. p. 22.

  28. 28.

    Ibid. p. 23–4.

  29. 29.

    Xenophon (2009) The Socratic Writings (Memorabilia, Economist, Symposium, Apology, and Hiero) Trans: Dakyns, H. G. New York: Digireads Publishing p. 79.

  30. 30.

    Uglow, J. (2002) Op. Cit. p. 520–1.

  31. 31.

    Fry, R. (1981) Op. Cit. p. 21.

  32. 32.

    Ellul, J. (1973) Op. Cit. p. 16.

  33. 33.

    Fry, R. (1981) Op. Cit. p. 22.

  34. 34.

    Toney, A. (1980) Op. Cit. p. xix.

  35. 35.

    Ibid. p. xvi.

  36. 36.

    Burke, E. (1958) Op. Cit. p. 155.

  37. 37.

    Uglow, J. (2002) Op. Cit. p. 532.

  38. 38.

    Burke, E. (1958) Op. Cit. p. 155.

  39. 39.

    Thompson, J. (2007) Op. Cit. p. 198.

  40. 40.

    Malvern, S. (2004) Modern Art, Britain and the Great War New Haven, CT: Yale University Press p. 21.

  41. 41.

    Ellul, J. (1973) Op. Cit. p. 36.

  42. 42.

    Ibid. p. 161–2.

  43. 43.

    James, D; Thomson, R. (2011) Posters and Propaganda in Wartime: Weapons of Mass Persuasion London: Franklin Watts p. 4.

  44. 44.

    Burke, J. (1955) Op. Cit. p. xlii–xliii.

  45. 45.

    Hardie, M; Sabin, A. K. (Eds.) (1920) Op. Cit. p. 1.

  46. 46.

    Ibid. p. 3.

  47. 47.

    Pound, E. (1970) Op. Cit. p. 86.

  48. 48.

    Eisenstein, S. (2010) Op. Cit. p. 69.

  49. 49.

    Clark, T. (1997) Op. Cit. p. 43.

  50. 50.

    James, D; Thomson, R. (2011) Op. Cit. p. 19.

  51. 51.

    Barthes, R. (1977) Image Music Text Trans: Heath, S. London: Fontana Press p. 26.

  52. 52.

    Ibid. p. 26–7.

  53. 53.

    Ellul, J. (1973) Op. Cit. footnote p. 163.

  54. 54.

    Barthes, R. (1977) Op. Cit. p. 16, 25.

  55. 55.

    Moore, C. (2010) Op. Cit. p. 105.

  56. 56.

    Ibid. side note p. 105.

  57. 57.

    Gregg, F. J. (1918) Op. Cit. p. 47.

  58. 58.

    Mitchell, W. J. T. (2005) p. 31.

  59. 59.

    Ibid. p. 31.

  60. 60.

    Moore, C. (2010) Op. Cit. p. 153–4.

  61. 61.

    Clark, T. (1997) Op. Cit. p. 60–1.

  62. 62.

    Mitchell, W. J. T. (2005) Op. Cit. p. 12.

  63. 63.

    Bryan, J. (2011) “Shells, Shots and Shrapnel”: Picturegoer Goes to War IN: Hammond, M; Williams, M; (Eds.) British Silent Cinema and the Great War Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan 64–76 p. 70.

  64. 64.

    McLuhan, M. (1964) Op. Cit. p. 7.

  65. 65.

    Fry, R. (1981) Op. Cit. p. 2.

  66. 66.

    Ibid. p. 2.

  67. 67.

    McLuhan, M. (1964) Op. Cit. p. 18.

  68. 68.

    Moore, C. (2010) Op. Cit. p. 188–9.

  69. 69.

    Schnapp, J. T. (2005) Op. Cit. p. 16.

  70. 70.

    Moore, C. (2010) Op. Cit. p. 186.

  71. 71.

    Ellul, J. (1973) Op. Cit. p. 87.

  72. 72.

    Schnapp, J. T. (2005) Op. Cit. p. 20.

  73. 73.

    Eifling, S. (2011) Adbusters’ Kalle Lasn Talks About Occupy Wall Street The Tyee [online] Available from: http://thetyee.ca/News/2011/10/07/Kalle-Lasn-Occupy-Wall-Street [accessed 15 February 2012] paragraph 5.

  74. 74.

    Hardie, M; Sabin, A. K. (Eds.) (1920) Op. Cit. p. 8.

  75. 75.

    Ellul, J. (1973) Op. Cit. p. 86.

  76. 76.

    Bernays, E. L (1947) The Engineering of Consent IN: The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, March 1947 vol. 250 113–20 p. 118.

  77. 77.

    Ellul, J. (1973) Op. Cit. p. 8.

  78. 78.

    Le Bon, G. (2001) Op. Cit. p. 13.

  79. 79.

    Ibid. p. 13–14.

  80. 80.

    Gombrich, E. H. (1977) Op. Cit. p. 196.

  81. 81.

    Ibid. p. 196.

  82. 82.

    Ellul, J. (1973) Op. Cit. p. 64.

  83. 83.

    Ibid. p. 64.

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  1. Winchester, UK

    Georgina Williams

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Williams, G. (2016). The Poster as a Functional Object. In: Propaganda and Hogarth's Line of Beauty in the First World War. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-57194-6_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-57194-6_3

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