1940s Santa Fe Railway: Arizona
By: Don Louis Perceval
Date: 1940s (circa) Chicago
Dimensions: 22 x 16 inches (56 x 40.5 cm)
This is a fine example of Don Louis Perceval's mid-century vintage poster, promoting travel to Arizona by way of the Santa Fe Railway during the late 1940s. The painted scene depicts a pair of cowboys riding their hoses through a quintessential Arizona desert, surrounded by saguaro cacti and desert shrubs with red sandstone cliffs in the background. The illustration is supported by the bold, outlined font of "Arizona" and a large Santa Fe emblem at the bottom.
The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) was founded in 1859 at the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. The railway was largely responsible for "settling the west" by establishing a number of real estate offices to sell farmland through land grants awarded to them by congress. This further generated demand for railway service extension and frequency of travel. Eventually, the company offered a bus line service to help passengers reach unique and remote destinations not unsuitable for a major railroad. At one time, the ATSF operated a tugboat fleet, ferryboats in San Francisco, and a short-lived airline known as the Santa Fe Skyway. In 1996 the railway merged with its northern counterpart the Burlington Northern to become the BNSF Railway we know today.
Don Louis Perceval (1908 - 1979) Was born in Woodford, Essex, England and at an early age became known for his painting talents in England. During the latter years of his childhood, he moved with his family to Los Angeles, California where he attended the Pasadena Military Academy and Chouinard Art School. An ever-growing interest in early state history and the Native Americans that once flourished throughout the southwest lured him to make sketching trips in the desert. By the late 1920s he made a trip to Arizona where he became enamored with the way of life and traditions of the Hopi and Navajo Indians. His works were undoubtedly inspired by his interest in the southwest including the works we created for the Santa Fe Railway.
Condition: This poster is in A+ condition, with lavish color on clean paper. The poster has been linen-backed for preservation and presentation purposes.
Inventory #12022
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622