French Line to the West Indies | 1950

French Line to the West Indies, 1950, by Edouard Collin

This vibrant poster created for the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (French Line) depicts the SS Colombie arriving at a Caribbean destination. The composition is framed by lush palm trees with orange blossoms against a bright yellow sky, creating a tropical atmosphere. In the centre of the image, the white ocean liner with its distinctive black funnel dominates the scene as it approaches the shore. The foreground shows a colourful crowd of local people in traditional West Indian clothing engaging in various activities – some are waving to welcome the ship, others are carrying goods or dancing, creating a lively scene of commerce and celebration. The text "CIE GLE TRANSATLANTIQUE" appears in red at the top with "French Line" in a cursive script beneath it. At the bottom, "TO THE WEST INDIES" is prominently displayed in red, followed by the destinations: "BARBADOS - TRINIDAD - CURAÇAO - JAMAICA - VENEZUELA". The artist's signature, "Edouard Collin," appears in the lower left corner.

This poster was published in 1950 during a significant period for the French Line's Caribbean services. The SS Colombie, prominently featured in the image, had an interesting history – originally built in 1931 for the Havre-West Indies route, the vessel had served as an armed merchant cruiser for the French during World War II before being requisitioned by the United States. After the war, the Colombie underwent substantial modernisation and returned to its original route in 1950, the same year this poster was produced. The Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, established in 1861 and commonly known as the "French Line" in English-speaking countries, maintained regular passenger and cargo services to the Caribbean islands and northern South America. The destinations listed – Barbados, Trinidad, Curaçao, Jamaica, and Venezuela – represented key ports of call on this route. The poster's colourful, exotic imagery was designed to appeal to post-war travellers seeking leisure and luxury in tropical destinations, reflecting the growing interest in international tourism that emerged in the 1950s.

Edouard Collin (1906-1983) was a French commercial artist who specialised in travel posters, particularly for shipping companies. While not as internationally renowned as some of his contemporaries like A.M. Cassandre or Paul Colin (no relation), he produced numerous striking designs for the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.