On ne passé pas! [They shall not pass]

The poster depicts a French soldier who stands valiantly holding his rifle with bayonet extended as he plants his feet firmly on the land. He is located in a devastated land strewn with used ammunition shells. The empty helmet and discarded rifle is indicative of the loss of life. In the distance, the insidious presence of gas or smoke haze dominates the environment in which the fighting is taking place.

Maurice Neumont (1868-1930) was a key artist who championed the production of political propaganda posters in France throughout the First World War. Neumont produced posters like On ne passé pas! in order to counter the false peace proposals in France which contain claims that France was in peace negotiations with Germany. It was considered enemy propaganda which was utilised by German authorities to try and relax the French push in the conflict. In response to this type of propaganda, the French government initiated an anti-German propaganda campaign to counter the false claims and to further rally the French war effort. The stamp at the lower left contains the following text 'Union Des Grandes Associations Francaise contre la propaganda ennemie' which identifies that this poster was produced as part of the anti-German propaganda campaign in 1918.