Speed Up America - Flagg

This original World War II poster, Speed Up America, was created by James Montgomery Flagg in 1943 for the New York Chapter of the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies. The poster urges Americans to accelerate the country's wartime preparations and industrial production in support of the Allied war effort.Flagg depicts Uncle Sam rushing forward through a darkened landscape, holding his hat in one hand while appearing to rouse the nation to action. The imagery is suggestive of Paul Revere's famous midnight ride, warning the American colonists of the approaching British forces at the beginning of the American Revolution. Here, however, it is Uncle Sam sounding the alarm, calling on Americans to “Speed Up” their efforts and increase the production and preparation necessary for the war.The figure of Uncle Sam had a special significance for Flagg. He created the most famous American depiction of Uncle Sam for his 1917 World War I recruiting poster, I Want You for U.S. Army, reportedly using his own face as the model. That image became one of the most recognizable American propaganda images ever produced. More than twenty-five years later, Flagg returned to Uncle Sam for Speed Up America, transforming him from the stern recruiting figure pointing directly at the viewer into an active messenger urgently calling the country to greater action.James Montgomery Flagg (1877–1960) was an American illustrator and poster artist whose work appeared extensively in magazines, advertising and government campaigns. During both World Wars, he created numerous patriotic and recruiting posters and became one of America's best-known illustrators. His Uncle Sam imagery remains his most enduring contribution to American graphic design.This is an Original Vintage Poster, it is not a reproduction. This poster is conservation mounted, linen backed and in very good condition. It has been professionally restored along the fold lines. We guarantee the authenticity of all our posters.