Swiss Railway Travel Poster

Wengernalp Railway – Bernese Oberland
Switzerland, circa 1908–1912

Description

Iconic advertising poster promoting the Wengernalp Railway, one of Switzerland’s earliest mountain railways, linking Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald via the Kleine Scheidegg, in the heart of the Bernese Oberland.

The scene depicts elegantly dressed travelers gazing from a railway carriage window at the dramatic Alpine panorama dominated by snow-covered peaks (Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau). The framing through the train window reinforces the idea of comfortable, modern travel, a key message of early 20th-century railway promotion.

Graphic Style

• Style: Art Nouveau / late Jugendstil

• Composition: landscape framed like a painting, creating a “window onto the Alps”

• Color palette: bold red typography combined with warm ochres and greens, contrasted by cool Alpine blues

• Typography: large, highly legible lettering designed for long-distance visibility

• Illustration: hand-drawn and painted, with fluid lines and expressive, stylized figures

Poster Text

• BERNER OBERLAND

• WENGERNALP RAILWAY

• Switzerland

Historical Context

At the turn of the 20th century, Switzerland developed an exceptional tradition of tourism and railway advertising, closely linking rail transport, luxury hotels, and the discovery of Alpine landscapes.
The Wengernalp Railway became a powerful symbol of technical modernity and accessibility, opening spectacular high-mountain scenery to an international clientele.

This poster belongs to the golden age of Swiss railway advertising and is today highly sought after by collectors.

Technique

• Printing: color lithograph

• Support: paper

• Period: early 20th century (circa 1908–1912)

Collecting Interest

• Iconic image of Swiss Alpine tourism

• Highly desirable among collectors of:

  • railway memorabilia

  • travel posters

  • Art Nouveau / Jugendstil graphics

• Strong decorative and historical appeal

Condition

(to be specified according to the individual example: margins, linen backing, restorations, color freshness)

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