Who Was A.W. Baylis?
The initials "A.W. Baylis" appear on some of the finest travel posters produced for Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) during the 1930s and 1940s. Collectors have long admired the colourful lithographic travel posters signed "A.W. Baylis", yet remarkably little has ever been published about the artist behind the initials.
For decades, A.W. Baylis remained something of a mystery. His signature appeared on auction catalogues, museum collections and original posters, but virtually no reliable biographical information accompanied his work. Who was he? Where did he come from? And what became of him?
After many years of researching vintage travel posters, I decided to investigate the artist himself. Traditional searches through books, museum records and online archives revealed almost nothing. Eventually, by combining genealogical research with historical records from Southern Rhodesia, it became possible to identify the man behind the initials.
A.W. Baylis was Arthur William Baylis, born in Newbury, Berkshire, England, on 14 September 1894. One particularly significant discovery was that historical records describe him as a lithographer in Southern Rhodesia. This is exactly the profession one would expect of the artist responsible for the lithographic travel posters signed "A.W. Baylis", making it an important piece of evidence supporting the identification.
Arthur William Baylis emigrated to Southern Rhodesia in 1925, married there in 1929, and spent much of the following two decades working in the country. He died in Southern Rhodesia in 1946, aged only 51.
Although relatively little is known about his professional career, the surviving posters demonstrate an exceptional talent for combining strong graphic composition with rich colours and dramatic landscapes. His work captures many of Southern Rhodesia's most celebrated destinations, including Victoria Falls, Inyanga, and Umtali, while also promoting tourism, national celebrations and pictorial maps of the country.
Among his best-known works are:
- Victoria Falls – Southern Rhodesia
- The Roof of Rhodesia – Inyanga
- The Riddle of Rhodesia
- Visit Southern Rhodesia – Jubilee Celebrations
- Umtali
- Southern Rhodesia (illustrated map)
- A Pictorial Map of Rhodesia
Today, original posters by A.W. Baylis are regarded as some of the finest examples of African travel poster design from the colonial period. Their striking compositions, vibrant colours and historical significance have made them increasingly sought after by collectors of African travel posters, colonial graphic art and vintage tourism advertising.
The identification of A.W. Baylis as Arthur William Baylis (1894–1946) helps restore the history of an artist whose work has long been appreciated, while his identity remained almost entirely unknown. It also provides a firmer historical foundation for understanding one of Southern Rhodesia's most accomplished poster artists.
Research into A.W. Baylis is still ongoing. If you have additional information, photographs, documents or previously unknown posters by A.W. Baylis, I would be delighted to hear from you. This page will be updated as new information becomes available.
Dag Suul
PosterTeam.com
