Art & Statues
Race Walking 25 KM World Record Attempt Art Deco Poster
Rare Original Art Deco 25 Kilometer Race Walking World Record Poster, Latvia
An exceptionally rare and unusual original Art Deco sporting poster from Latvia, advertising a 25 kilometer race walking world record attempt featuring three competitive athletes, including a participant from England. The event was scheduled to begin on June 1 at 6:30 PM in LSB Square, Latvia, according to the translated poster inscription. The poster captures the growing international enthusiasm for organized athletics during the Art Deco period, when sporting competitions, physical achievement, and world record attempts became important subjects for modern graphic artists. The combination of an unusual athletic event and international competition makes this a particularly interesting example of European sporting and advertising history.
Race walking was an established competitive sport during the early twentieth century, requiring exceptional endurance, technique, and physical conditioning. Unlike conventional running, race walking follows specific rules governing continuous contact with the ground and leg movement. During the 1920s and 1930s, European sporting posters frequently celebrated athletic achievement through bold typography, dynamic compositions, and modern graphic design. This Latvian example reflects that tradition while documenting a particularly uncommon subject: an international attempt to establish a world record over a distance of 25 kilometers. Its connection to Latvia also gives the poster additional historical interest, reflecting the country's participation in the broader European sporting culture of the period.
Original Art Deco posters devoted to race walking are seldom encountered, particularly those advertising specific world record attempts and international competitors. This example offers collectors an appealing combination of sporting history, European graphic design, and Art Deco decorative character. The original poster has been professionally framed and matted, featuring a complementary black mat and an attractive silver wood frame that enhances its vintage appearance while allowing the artwork to remain the focal point. A distinctive addition to a collection of original Art Deco posters, vintage sporting memorabilia, or early twentieth-century European advertising art.
The condition is excellent; we bought it years ago and finally finished it to get it ready to hang in a sports room or just as an unusual Art Deco original poster. It is signed on the bottom as well.
info@artdecocollection.com
