The illustrated poster was born in Europe in the late 19th century, reflecting an increasingly commercialised world with conflicting political ideologies. Posters are ephemeral, produced for a specific moment, yet many elements are recycled and resonate in cultural memory today. From the propaganda of the World Wars and the Cold War to the explosion of cultural exchange, tourism and the emergence of multi-voiced social movements after the Second World War, complex layers of European division and unity are revealed through a selection of posters from the collection of the House of European History. They reflect the development and transformation of the public sphere in European cities.

Posters can appear in any size, from discrete A4 sheets to billboards. They can vary in quality depending on the talent of their designers. They are a popular medium and their subjects cover almost all aspects of life. The exhibition aims to reflect European history through posters from the last 100 years, in a way that raises awareness about the multiplicity of perspectives and interpretations. Such a rich and volatile subject requires strict curatorial choices and a rigorous structure in order to be contained in the exhibition space.