Gifts of Healing: French Travel Posters 1945 – 1949

These 21 travel posters (1945-1949) were gifted to Nevada aboard the Merci Train in February of 1949. The Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français, the French National Railways, commissioned contemporary regional artists to depict stunning French landscapes, historical provinces, and cultural regions.

Research indicates that all states received a set of posters, yet only three appear to have retained possession of their collection, and Nevada has been the only state to exhibit them. Staff from the Nevada State Museum and Nevada State Archives restored the posters for the exhibit, generously sponsored by Hazel Woodgate and the John and Grace Nauman Foundation.

The artwork displays the healing power of artistic expression and a universal language that cuts across time, tides, and allegiances. The significance of the Merci Train gifts represent the best of humanity; the kindness that humans can give and share in the face of great suffering, the deep connection possible across cultural and spatial boundaries. In this new century, the ability to share the story of Le Train de la Reconnaissance is more relevant than ever.

For more information about the Merci Train gifts or to reproduce these images please contact the Nevada State Museum –

Mary Covington: mcovington@nevadaculture.org  or 775-687-4810, ext. 240

To get more information about a poster, click on one of the images in the Gallery below.