James Riddell (1909-2000)
‘Join the University Ski Club’

Original vintage poster
Lithograph
31 x 50 cm

This charming poster was designed by professional skier James Riddell for the 1934/35 Varsity trip, bringing students from Oxford and Cambridge University together for the annual Varsity ski racing, held in Klosters.

Riddell, a Cambridge alumnus, played a key role in the early days of skiing as a competitive sport and holiday industry. In his early days, he was a skiing champion: his accolades include winning the Kandahar Club’s Muerren Inferno, still the longest and most demanding of amateur downhill races, and acting as vice-president at the 1936 Winter Olympics at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. After his professional skiing career, Ridell became an accomplished author, writing novels including ‘The Ski Runs of Switzerland’ (1957), ‘The Ski Runs of Austria ‘(1958), ‘Ski Holidays in the Alps’ (1961) and ‘Ski Lore and Disorder’ (1962). He quit skiing in his 70s but continued to return to his much-loved Muerren, the Kandahar Club’s Swiss Alpine headquarters, where he spent time painting watercolours.

This poster is a fine example of art-deco art. The simplified, streamlined depiction of skiers with strong, curving lines reflects the influence of Art Deco’s geometric and dynamic design approach. The limited colour palette of blue, white, and red gives a striking and vibrant look. The lettering, with its outlined and shadowed appearance, is characteristic of the era’s emphasis on bold, decorative typography. Finally, the flowing lines in the background and the dramatic positioning of the skiers create a feeling of speed and action, a hallmark of 1930s graphic design. The overall effect is dynamic, eye-catching and extremely memorable.

Condition: Generally very good. Colours are excellent and the paper shows only a little sign of age.

If you would like to know more, please email info@manningfineart.co.uk or call us on 07929 749056.