Nord Express 1927

Cassandre made this poster, Nord Express, with lithography, and you can see how he balances graphic punch with painterly effects. Look at the stark contrast of blacks, whites, and grays – it’s so dramatic! But then, softened by gradients and soft edges, suggesting motion. It’s like he's capturing speed itself. The circles, slashed by diagonals, feel like pure energy. Then that single flash of red? It heats everything up. It reminds me of those Italian futurists, like Boccioni, who were also obsessed with speed, but Cassandre's got this cool, advertising twist. He's selling a feeling, not just a train ride. It's a great example of how art can be both commercial and deeply evocative, blurring those boundaries in really interesting ways.