Pelican Cigarettes

This enchanting French Art Deco advertising poster by Charles Yray features the delightfully absurd image of a pelican enjoying a cigarette, its enormous yellow beak tilted skyward as smoke curls into the vibrant green background. Created for Pélican brand Virginia tobacco cigarettes, the design showcases the sophisticated wit that defined Parisian commercial art during the interwar years. Yray's composition demonstrates masterful Art Deco sensibilities: bold geometric simplification, a striking color palette of greens, yellows, and reds, and the playful anthropomorphization of the brand's namesake bird. The pelican's knowing eye and elegant pose transform a simple product advertisement into a memorable character study. At the lower right, a branded cigarette tin reinforces the product identity while maintaining visual balance. Printed by EDIA in Paris during the mid-1920s, this large-format poster captures a moment when French advertising elevated commercial art to fine art status. The linen-backed piece presents beautifully and would make a distinguished addition to any collection of vintage tobacco advertising or Art Deco graphic design. Size: 31.5" x 23.5" Artist: Charles Yray Condition: Very Good, Age-appropriate wear, fading and toning. Conservation mounted on linen. Faint background scuffs. Please use the photo zoom feature to get a better understanding of overall condition. *Additional photos available upon request.