| u0003_0004200_0000069 |
| Title | The Spirit of America |
| Creator | Howard Chandler Christy |
| Date | 1919 |
| Format | 20 x 30 in |
| Description | Howard Chandler Christy’s poster “The Spirit of America” is a reminder that the end of war is not necessarily the end of suffering. Although the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918, this poster was published in 1919, a continuation of the propaganda push to recruit nurses in order to provide humanitarian aid for a war-torn Europe. Like many of the “Christy girls,” as they were commonly known, the woman depicted in Christy’s poster is fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, and dressed in a white dress with a revealing neckline. The attractive, young, white woman takes on many of the characteristics of Columbia, the allegorical female figure for America. With her eyes raised upwards, holding a portion of the American flag to her heart, she appears to be appealing to a higher power for help. At the base of her white gown is a bold red cross beside the word “JOIN,” making her service to the organization immediately clear to the audience. By ostensibly embodying “The Spirit of America,” the woman equates patriotism, compassion, and service with national identity. |
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