This striking Art Deco travel poster was created to promote the RMS Empress of Britain, one of Canadian Pacific’s most celebrated transatlantic ocean liners. Launched in 1930, the ship was among the largest and fastest passenger vessels of its time, advertised here as a 42,500 ton liner capable of crossing the Atlantic in just five days.
The design emphasizes scale and modernity, with the ship’s towering bow rising dramatically from the sea. Clean geometric forms, simplified colour fields, and a bold upward perspective reflect the optimism and confidence of early twentieth century ocean travel. The stylized waves and streamlined smokestacks reinforce the sense of speed, engineering prowess, and luxury that defined Canadian Pacific’s global travel network.
Produced as part of Canadian Pacific’s broader travel advertising program, this poster represents a moment when rail, sea, and hotel travel were marketed as a single, seamless experience. It is a classic example of how graphic design was used to communicate technological progress and international connection during the golden age of passenger liners.
