The University of Chicago Library has organized an exhibition of posters from the First World War to commemorate the centennial of the outbreak of the war in 1914. The exhibition is entitled “En Guerre: French Illustrators and World War I,” curated by Neil Harris, professor of history, and  Teri Edelstein, professor of art history.

According to the Chicago Reader : “The vast majority of the pieces on display are executed in the popular styles of the 1910s, familiar from advertisements, magazine illustrations, and children’s books, and the full-color works appear almost, well, cheerful. It’s an interesting contrast to the more famous images of the war, the black-and-white photos of muddy soldiers in trenches and exhausted Red Cross volunteers.”

The Chicago Reader reports on the exhibit. Students and researchers working on French history and the history of war, culture, and society will be interested in this exhibition.