Kew Gardens 1934

Maurice Miles made this poster, Kew Gardens, for London Underground, and it’s a lovely example of graphic art as painting. Look at how the artist simplifies shapes but still gives you all the juicy details. The lilies, the leaves, the cacti – they're all built up from layers of color. The paint isn't trying to trick you into thinking these are real objects, but the layering creates a real sense of depth. Notice how the artist uses thick lines and blocks of shadow, almost like stained glass, to make the flowers pop against the dark background. I particularly like the way he renders light, especially the little yellow dots that suggest direct sunlight on the top of the leafy bush. This piece reminds me a bit of Stuart Davis; they both share a love for bold colors and clear, graphic lines, using the language of painting to create something that's both decorative and deeply satisfying. Like all good art, it exists in that delicious zone of ambiguity, between abstraction and representation.