Vive la France – Raphael Kirchner (1917) – Patriotic WWI Poster Print

Raphael Kirchner’s Vive la France is a striking example of the Austrian-born artist’s elegant Art Nouveau approach to wartime imagery. Created in 1917, the work transforms patriotic symbolism into a graceful allegorical scene, presenting France through the idealized figure of a woman emerging from the sea. Kirchner was particularly known for his illustrations of women, and his distinctive combination of decorative line, sensual figures, and refined color gives this wartime subject a markedly different character from the more forceful military propaganda posters of the period.

The central figure rises dramatically from the waves atop an enormous shell, lifting the French tricolor high above her head in a gesture of triumph. Her pale figure and flowing red hair contrast beautifully with the enormous dark shell and richly textured blue sea, while the sweeping folds of the flag provide the composition’s strongest accent of red, white, and blue. The exaggerated scale of the shell and waves gives the image an almost mythological quality, turning France into a romantic maritime allegory rather than a conventional military figure. The result is a particularly beautiful example of Raphael Kirchner’s Art Nouveau style applied to patriotic imagery during World War I.

 

🖨️ 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.

 

💬 Questions? Looking for something else, or want something in a different size? Feel free to reach out anytime; we’ll see what we can do!