by SAS - Africa - Elephants

This original vintage SAS travel poster was designed by celebrated Danish artist Otto Nielsen (1916–2000) during the 1950s for Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS). The poster promotes air travel to Africa, depicting two African savanna elephants against a wonderfully atmospheric landscape.

Nielsen creates a striking composition dominated by a magnificent elephant approaching the viewer, with a second elephant in the distance. High above the animals, a SAS passenger aircraft flies beneath a slender crescent moon, a small but important detail that connects the exotic African landscape directly with the excitement of international air travel. Nielsen frequently incorporated an aircraft discreetly into his SAS destination posters rather than making the plane the dominant subject.

The elephants depicted are African savanna elephants, the largest living land animals and the largest of the African elephant species. They inhabit the open grasslands and bushlands of eastern and southern Africa, including Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique and South Africa.

The unusual palette of deep greens, soft pinks and black gives the scene an almost dreamlike quality, contrasting beautifully with the bold red “Africa by SAS” lettering and the classic SAS globe emblem.

Otto Nielsen worked extensively for SAS from the late 1940s onwards and became closely associated with the airline's celebrated post-war advertising. Instead of concentrating primarily on aircraft, he portrayed the landscapes, wildlife, people and cultures travellers might encounter at their destinations, often including a small plane overhead as a recurring visual link to SAS and the journey itself.

A fabulous and highly decorative 1950s Scandinavian airline poster, combining aviation history, African wildlife and the unmistakable artwork of Otto Nielsen. The monumental elephant, tiny aircraft and rich colours make this an especially impressive example of mid-century SAS advertising that would look wonderful framed. Mounted on linen.