Be Patriotic – Sign Your Country’s Pledge to Save the Food – Paul Stahr (1918) – Patriotic WWI Poster Print

Paul Stahr’s Be Patriotic: Sign Your Country’s Pledge to Save the Food was created around 1918 for the U.S. Food Administration during World War I. The campaign encouraged Americans to conserve food and reduce waste as part of the wartime effort. Stahr, a prominent American illustrator, uses the figure of Columbia (the female personification of the United States) to turn food conservation into an appeal to patriotic duty.

Columbia reaches both hands toward the viewer, dressed in a flowing costume patterned with the American flag and crowned with a red, white, and blue headdress. Her direct gaze and pleading gesture give the poster an unusually personal quality, while the cream background and limited palette of red and blue make the bold typography especially prominent. The combination of idealized patriotic imagery, expressive illustration, and commanding lettering is characteristic of American World War I propaganda posters, making this a striking example of how the U.S. government used graphic design to encourage civilian participation in the war effort.

 

🖨️ Print features:

– Made with museum-grade archival paper for excellent printing fidelity and vibrant color reproduction

– Paper weight: 189 g/m2

– For indoor use only

– Care instructions: If the print does gather any dust, you may wipe it off gently with a clean, dry cloth.

– Please note: Due to the production process of these posters, please allow for slight size deviations with a tolerance +/- 1/16″

 

🚚 Fulfillment, Shipping, and Return Policy:

– Printed and shipped from the U.S.

– Ships in a sturdy mailing tube, frame not included

– As our items are unique and made to order, we can only accept a return or exchange in the event that an item arrives damaged or misprinted. We cannot accept returns if you order the wrong size or change your mind. Any return requests must be made within 14 days of receiving the order.

 

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