ZERO - HANS SCHLEGER (1898-1976) IN THE BLACKOUT. 1943.

25x19 3/4 inches. Baynard Press.
Condition B+: staining in image.
Having lived and worked in both Berlin and New York, Hans Schleger finally settled in London in 1932. A pioneer of modernism, he worked extensively for Shell Oil and the London Transport System, two companies which had artistically progressive sensibilities. For the first he worked both before and after the war, creating such intriguing surrealist images as "Journalists - These Men Use Shell" (see Modernist May 2001 #68). For the latter he redesigned their logo and created numerous campaigns. This is one of those campaigns, to advise people of the necessary precautions of traveling in the dark. Here, using the strong contrast between light and dark, he shows two men wearing hats, each with a pronounced eye, as a way of drawing attention to the physiological changes one undergoes when going from the light into the dark. Perfect in style, this poster has the "Please do" attitude that goes very well with the British temperament.
ref: Zero, Hans Schleger, A Life of Design, Pat Schleger, Lund Humphries, 2001, no. 57.