40 Amazing Vintage Posters in the 1920s and ’30s by Jean d’Ylen

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Born 1886 in Paris as Jean Paul Beguin, French posterist Jean d’Ylen manifested his special talents for design at the age of twelve and won gold and silver medals from the Ville de Paris in 1898.

Posters in the 1920s and ’30s by Jean d’Ylen

In 1914, d’Ylen got married and joined the 279th Infantry Regiment. He then joined the Cartography Department of the Army. After the war, he quickly opted for a career in poster design. Vercassson were keen to sign him up and he joined the firm in 1919. They presented his work at the Salon de la Publicite. He had an exclusive contract with Vercasson for about thirty posters.

d’Ylen designed posters for Waterman, Ripolin, Jacquemaire, Shell, Bally and Sandeman’s Port. The posters were on advertising hoardings all over the walls of France. Soon his creations were scattered over Europe, England (by Weiner), Sweden, Holland, USA, Canada and Australia.

From 1934, a dispute with Vercasson, led him to work directly for Weiner in London. d’Ylen designed for Esso, BP, the Daily Herald, Power Ethyl and was widely recognized as a leader in his field.

In 1938, d’Ylen died prematurely, at the height of his career. His defining comment was in 1921, when he said, “A poster must be expressive, colorful and have an attraction which captures the attention of a passer by”.

Here is a set of amazing posters designed by Jean d’Ylen in the 1920s and 1930s.