lithographic poster for the Empire Marketing Board, c. 1931

This exemplifies Edward Bawden’s brilliance as a designer; the same linocut profile of the bullock, reminiscent of those circling Grecian pots from antiquity, is repeated with suave economy and startling modernism three times on the left of this poster. Each one is cleverly inked in a different colour, with contrasting eyes – blue, burnt orange, chestnut – in succession staring out like bullseyes on an archery range. We are drawn in and the design is elegantly punctuated. Bawden’s playful eye for the absurd delights in picturing his cattle-tongues agog – licking their lips at the promise of Dried Beet Pulp, Plain or Molassed!

Mark Hearld, Artist.

Selected by him for The Fry’s exhibition, Random Spectacular, in 2020.