Summary

Large World War I Australian poster titled 'The Trumpet Calls', featuring an iconic image by artist Norman Lindsay. Lindsay pictures a soldier in khaki with a bugle to his mouth, looking urgently over his right shoulder. Four soldiers lie beneath him, each aiming a firearm. One has a bandaged head. Behind the bugler appear shadowy figures of civilians, including a stockman, surfer, labourer in leather jerkin, and well-dressed middle-class couple.

The poster was printed by W.A. Gullick, Government Printer, Sydney.

Norman Lindsay (1879-1970) was staff artist at the Sydney 'Bulletin' magazine during World War I. His work included pro-conscription posters. The Australian War Memorial notes the similarity of this poster to another titled 'The Last Call', distributed in 1918, and suggests a similar date for 'The Trumpet Calls'.

Physical Description

Large poster with bold inscription in red above coloured drawing on cream-coloured paper. Drawing features a soldier in khaki with a bugle to his mouth, looking urgently over his right shoulder. He wears a slouch hat and ammunition belt. Four soldiers lie beneath him, each aiming a firearm. One has a bandaged head. Behind the bugler appear shadowy figures of civilians, including a stockman, surfer, labourer in leather jerkin, and well-dressed middle-class couple. The poster has a black border and cream edge. Poster is adhered to foam-core.

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