Ben Blessum’s See the lands of the vikings turns a Scandinavian journey into a compact drama of ship, sea and radiant sky. A Viking vessel surges across curling blue waves, its dark hull and billowing sail silhouetted against a field of orange and yellow that suggests the low brilliance of sunrise or sunset. Shields punctuate the ship’s side in red, while the raised figurehead and taut curve of the sail give the central motif an unmistakable sense of forward motion.

The poster draws upon the romance of Viking exploration to promote travel across Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, with Canada included in its wider geographical frame. Rather than presenting these destinations through photographic detail, Blessum follows the persuasive logic of early twentieth-century travel graphics: landscape, history and transport are distilled into a few memorable forms. Its simplified contours, emphatic lettering and strongly divided colour fields also reflect the period’s Art Deco-inflected visual language, in which clarity and spectacle worked together to seize attention quickly.

A closer look

The ship dominates the upper and central composition. Its prow rises sharply above the water, while the broad, curved sail appears to catch a powerful wind. Fine linear ornament across the sail recalls Nordic knotwork, adding decorative intricacy to an otherwise boldly simplified design. Along the hull, the repeated circular shields form a rhythmic band; their warm red accents echo the glowing sky and stand out crisply against the vessel’s near-black structure.

Below, the sea is constructed from sweeping bands of blue rather than naturalistic water. These curves draw the eye diagonally towards the ship, making the entire design feel mobile even though its forms are largely flat. The contrast between cool ocean blues and the saturated orange-yellow sky is especially effective: the former establishes distance and direction, while the latter creates a luminous backdrop against which the vessel can be read almost as an emblem.

The lower portion shifts from maritime spectacle to geographical orientation. Simplified coastal outlines connect Canada and the north-eastern Atlantic with the Scandinavian lands beyond, while names including “Norway”, “Sweden” and “Denmark” appear in assertive red lettering. Across the bottom, “see the LANDS of the VIKINGS” is arranged as the principal message, with “LANDS” and “VIKINGS” given particular weight. Beneath it, the smaller instruction to ask a travel bureau, steamship or railway agent reveals the practical machinery behind the romance: this was an invitation designed to turn visual excitement into an actual itinerary.

Context and significance

Travel posters of this kind did more than identify a destination. They created a concise public identity for it, selecting architecture, scenery or historical association as a memorable point of entry. Here, Blessum chooses the Viking ship—a motif associated with navigation, seafaring skill and long-distance encounter—to link the Scandinavian countries through a shared imaginative past. The modern traveller is thus encouraged to understand the Atlantic crossing as an echo of earlier voyages, though now organised through travel bureaux, shipping lines and railway networks.

The result is both map and myth. Its labelled geography promises practical movement between recognisable places, while the monumental vessel transforms that journey into something adventurous and culturally resonant. Small details reward closer attention, but the poster’s lasting force lies in the directness of its first impression: a dark sail, a fiery sky and a ship pressing confidently across an intensely blue sea.

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.

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The model in the listing images is holding the 36x24in (90x60cm) version of this art print.

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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.