Winter sports: Alps and Jura

Step into the refined graphic world of the 1930s with this magnificent original poster by Éric de Coulon, one of Europe’s leading masters of early tourism advertising. In this piece, the renowned Swiss-French artist captures the full magic of winter sports at a time when the Alps and the Jura were emerging as iconic destinations for skiing, fresh air, and revitalising escapes.

At first glance, the composition plunges you into dynamic movement: a group of skiers races downhill in perfect formation, their silhouettes streamlined, their vintage attire rendered with striking simplicity, their speed magnified by bold blue shadows that flow across the slope. The mountain becomes a rhythmic graphic pattern — a hallmark of Coulon’s inventive style — where motion, modernity, and sporting energy merge seamlessly. The inscription “Pure Air · Health · Pleasure” encapsulates the promise of winter as imagined in the 1930s, when the expansion of railway lines made alpine resorts newly accessible to European travellers.

This lithograph is a quintessential example of Art Deco mountain design: a restrained colour palette, stylised figures, powerful typography, and a masterful sense of movement. Highly collectible and increasingly rare, it appeals to enthusiasts of vintage ski posters, early travel advertising, and pre-war graphic art. Beyond its historical interest, it stands as an emblem of elegance — timeless, iconic, and deeply evocative.