Date: 1926
Size: 24 x 31.5 inches
Artist: Alliance Nationale pour L'Accroissement de la population Français
About this poster: Produced in the aftermath of World War I, this French propaganda poster warns of the nation’s declining birth rate as a grave threat to its survival. It combines statistical charts, moral exhortation, and sentimental imagery to promote large families as a patriotic duty. The poster contrasts the supposed happiness and prosperity of “belles familles nombreuses” (large families) with the decline and insecurity of childless households, linking demographic strength directly to national power and peace.
Organizations such as the Alliance Nationale pour l’Accroissement de la Population Française spearheaded pro-natalist campaigns in the interwar period, reflecting anxieties over France’s military losses and fears of being outnumbered by Germany. This poster exemplifies the era’s intertwining of domestic life, gender roles, and nationalism in visual culture.
The poster has some small holes and light horizontal fold lines.
Note: The display of the two posters side by side serves as a comparison.