Catalogue Number
NMLH.1994.168.312.4
Object Name
Poster
Title
British Workman Choose For Yourself. Tariff Reform Radical Free Trade
Date
circa 1904
Description
The contrasting scenes here force the viewer to decide between a happy domestic life under tariff reform, or an existence of drudgery under free trade. The poster makes a comparison between two extreme views, a technique often used in Edwardian posters.
The table loaded with food is a sign of prosperity. The loaf was a universal symbol for the cost of food. Picture posters are full of visual symbols that help convey the message.
An empty fire is the sign of poverty. Depicted here is a cold, dark and inhospitable home.
This image urges men to choose the right path to protect their homes. Women appeared in posters before they could vote, depicted as part of this domestic realm.
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