Air France Grece

This is an original vintage travel poster created in 1967 by Georges Mathieu for Air France, promoting Greece as a destination. The design features a striking blue background, dominated by a large classical Greek column rendered in a stylized, almost calligraphic form. On either side of the column are abstract, golden-yellow depictions of ancient Greek temple ruins, painted with expressive, dynamic strokes that are characteristic of Mathieu’s lyrical abstraction style. The word “Grèce” appears at the top in bold orange type, with “Air France” printed below in silver-gray.

This poster is part of a famous series of 16 travel posters designed by Mathieu for Air France. Commissioned by Pierre Sautet, then Deputy Commercial Director of the airline, the full collection was unveiled on October 26, 1967, at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. These works are celebrated for combining avant-garde artistic expression with commercial travel advertising during the golden age of air travel.

The poster shows some age-related wear: there is a missing lower-left corner, crumbling and creases around the margins, and general signs of handling. Despite this, it remains a vibrant and collectible piece of travel and design history.