Full Ahead: Production

British Second World War poster encouraging war production to be increased to 'full speed'. The poster depicts a sailor talking down a speaking tube connected to traditional ships throttle lever. On the lever is indicated half and full speed, with 'half' dulled out in black and 'full' highlighted in white. Beneath the image is the word 'production', alluding to the fact that production must be accelerated up to full speed. The 'o' in 'production' is shaped like a spool, with a red piece of tape running through it to the top left of the poster upon which it turns into a flagpole flying the British naval ensign. This shows a literal connection between production and the Royal Navy. Such an artistic technique, literally connecting two separate parts of an artwork, has been used in European art since at least the early Renaissance, with one of the most notable examples being Ambrozio Lorenzetti's 1338 frecso 'Allegory of Good Government' in the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena.

This item has been digitised with funding provided by Commonwealth Government.