Balsam (1918) is an anonymous beverage poster built around an immediately legible pairing: a smiling young woman and the dark glass bottle she presents. Her face, wavy brown hair and pale clothing emerge from a yellow circular frame, while the bottle occupies the lower centre of the composition. Behind them, an intense green field gives the design its distinctive force. Across the upper section, the name “BALSAM” appears in large, shadowed lettering, establishing the product before the eye reaches the figure or label.

Created during the final year of the First World War, the poster belongs to a period in which illustrated commercial graphics were becoming an increasingly familiar part of everyday visual culture. Advertisements needed to communicate rapidly, often from a distance, and this design answers that demand through flat colour, clear outlines and a tightly controlled hierarchy. The word “balsam”, commonly associated with soothing or restorative substances, lends the beverage a suggestive name without the poster requiring an elaborate explanation. Instead, the welcoming figure, polished bottle and bright palette carry the message.

A closer look

The composition is nearly symmetrical, though subtle shifts prevent it from feeling rigid. The woman turns slightly towards the viewer, her head inclined beside the bottle rather than placed directly above it. Her smile and direct presentation of the product create a staged, personable encounter. The bottle itself rises through the lower centre like a dark vertical axis, its rich brown surface standing out against the light tones of her skin and clothing.

Much of the poster’s effectiveness comes from the circular device surrounding the figure. A yellow band, crisply defined by a fine dark outline, separates her from the green ground and operates almost like a spotlight. It also echoes the rounded forms of her face, coiffed hair and shoulders. The resulting arrangement is compact and emblematic: figure and product are gathered into a single graphic unit that can be understood at a glance.

Closer inspection reveals how carefully texture is suggested within an otherwise simplified design. Fine, curving marks articulate the woman’s hair, contrasting with the smoother modelling of her face. Small highlights on the bottle imply reflective glass, while shadows around the label and in the upper lettering lend shallow relief to the predominantly flat surface. Warm peach, yellow and brown are held against the cooler green background, creating a strong colour contrast without sacrificing visual coherence.

Context and significance

Early twentieth-century advertising often balanced illustration with increasingly assertive typography, and Balsam demonstrates that transition especially clearly. The product name is not treated as a caption added after the fact: its scale, spacing and shadow effect make it an active part of the composition. The human figure provides charm and approachability, while the lettering and centrally displayed bottle ensure commercial clarity.

Although its designer is unrecorded, the poster retains the period’s confidence in bold, economical visual communication. Its interest lies not only in the beverage it promotes, but in the way colour, portraiture and lettering have been compressed into a persuasive decorative statement. The saturated green ground and golden circular frame remain particularly memorable, giving this 1918 advertisement a graphic directness that still reads with remarkable immediacy.

Choosing the right size and finish

Artwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.

If you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, ask our workshop for advice.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this art print.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. See examples of personalised artwork.

Choose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. See examples of our Aged artwork.

Every piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.

Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.

Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, contact our workshop.

This artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.