Albert Brenet - Photolith Paris - Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, French line - Línea Francesa - 1950s

Exceptional Poster – Albert Brenet for the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique

1950s – Original color lithograph by Photolith, Paris – 58 x 40 cm

This advertising poster, produced around 1950, features a Caribbean female figure representing the tropical destinations promoted by the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT), known as French Line.
The central composition shows a woman in traditional attire, sitting on a quay with a view of a transatlantic liner and small local boats, while the text lists the ports of call: the Antilles, Colombia, Venezuela, and Jamaica. It illustrates cruise routes to the Caribbean, designed to attract European clientele seeking exotic escapes.

Created by Albert Brenet (1903-2005), a French illustrator trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, this work is part of a series of commissions for the CGT, for which he produced numerous posters between the 1930s and 1960s. Brenet, a specialist in maritime and travel themes, adopts a graphic style influenced by late Art Deco: clean lines, vivid colors, and balanced composition for optimal readability in advertising displays. The poster reflects the context of the 'Thirty Glorious Years' (1945-1975), a period of economic reconstruction in France when luxury tourism experienced major growth. Founded in 1861, the CGT – France's main transatlantic operator – initially transported emigrants and goods to America; after World War II, it shifted towards leisure cruises to revive its activity.

Technically, Photolith printing in Paris – a renowned workshop for its mastery of offset lithography – guarantees exceptional quality.

58 x 40 cm, this compact variant (compared to standard formats of 100 x 63 cm) is suitable for modern interiors, with an excellent condition: intact margins, no major creases or discoloration, ideal for framing under UV-protective glass. It is mounted in the Japanese style on Canson paper and on acid-free cotton canvas for excellent preservation.

This piece, an authentic testimony of a transitional era between empire and globalized tourism, is highly sought after by vintage poster collectors for its documentary role in French naval and cultural history.

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