Roger Broders: Art Deco Elegance in Travel Poster Form

Roger Broders (1883–1953) was one of the most distinctive illustrators of the early twentieth century, celebrated for his striking Art Deco travel posters that captured the golden age of European rail travel. Born in Paris and trained at the École Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Broders created a body of work that brought elegance, clarity, and a modern graphic sensibility to the genre of poster design.

Working primarily between 1922 and 1932, Broders was commissioned by the Paris–Lyon–Méditerranée railway company to promote destinations across France and neighbouring countries. His posters encouraged travel to the glamorous resorts of the Côte d’Azur, the snow-covered slopes of the French Alps, and the picturesque towns along the Mediterranean coast. Each piece was carefully composed, often featuring stylishly dressed figures against sweeping landscapes, with bold lines, flat colour planes, and a clear sense of light and depth.

His output was relatively small—fewer than 100 posters in total, with around 65 created for the PLM railway alone. After 1935, he shifted away from poster design, later illustrating books into the 1940s, including French editions of adventure novels by Karl May. Despite the brevity of his poster-making years, Broders’ influence remains enduring. His works are now regarded as icons of interwar design and among the most refined examples of Art Deco travel art.

Roger Broders’ posters continue to resonate with collectors and art enthusiasts alike, not only for their period charm but for their crisp modernity, sophisticated palette, and timeless celebration of leisure, landscape, and elegant escapism.