Lötschberg Railway Poster | 1937

Lötschberg Railway Poster, 1937, by Plinio Colombi

This eye-catching vintage travel poster depicts a bright red electric train emerging from a tunnel onto an arched stone viaduct set against a dramatic alpine landscape. Soaring, snow-capped peaks rise into a pale blue sky, while rugged cliffs and forested slopes frame the railway. The train's bold colour contrasts vividly with the blues, greys and greens of the surrounding mountain scenery. Strong diagonal lines created by the viaduct, tracks and slopes lead the viewer's eye dynamically across the image and emphasize the impressive engineering of the railway. Simplified, stylized forms and flat blocks of colour give the poster a distinctly modern, Art Deco-influenced aesthetic typical of 1930s design.

Designed by Swiss artist Plinio Colombi (1873-1951), this 1937 poster advertises the Lötschberg railway line connecting Bern and Brig via the Bernese Alps. Completed in 1913, the Lötschberg was one of the first major railways in Switzerland to be electrified and was hailed as a triumph of modern engineering for its many tunnels, bridges and viaducts traversing challenging mountain terrain. The line quickly became popular with tourists drawn by the spectacular alpine scenery visible from its trains.

Colombi, a prolific commercial artist, created numerous posters for the Swiss Federal Railways, ski resorts, and the Swiss National Tourist Office over his career. His distinctive style, blending influences of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, helped define the look of Swiss advertising in the early 20th century. Posters like this fuelled a boom in rail travel and alpine tourism between the World Wars as transportation became more accessible.