This powerful image is a World War I propaganda poster created in 1918 for the YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) as part of the United War Work Campaign. It celebrates and promotes the vital role of women on the home front during wartime.
📜 Text on the Poster
"For Every Fighter, A Woman Worker"
Y.W.C.A.
"Back Our Second Line of Defense"
United War Work Campaign
🧭 Purpose & Context
• Produced during the final year of World War I, this poster was part of a major fundraising and morale-boosting initiative known as the United War Work Campaign.
• The campaign brought together multiple aid organizations (including the YWCA, YMCA, Salvation Army, and others) to support soldiers and civilian efforts.
•The YWCA’s focus was on providing housing, jobs, and training for women workers who were stepping into roles traditionally held by men now serving at the front.
👩🏭 Imagery & Symbolism
• A line of determined, uniformed women march forward in solidarity, mirroring military troops.
• They represent factory workers, nurses, farmers, and other wartime laborers.
• The triangular blue logo of the YWCA is prominently displayed, signaling their institutional backing.
• The idea of a "second line of defense" reframes civilian labor as a critical form of national service.
🎨 Artist
• The poster is signed Ernest Hamlin Baker, an American illustrator known for his bold, dynamic style.
• His use of bold lines, sharp contrasts, and purposeful posture emphasizes strength, unity, and dignity.
🧠 Historical Importance
• This poster helped reshape public perception of women’s labor as patriotic and essential.
• It’s an early visual marker of the women’s workforce mobilization that would accelerate again in WWII.
Printing Details:
Our Master's Edition archival paper, in off-white and uncoated, offers museum-quality for art enthusiasts seeking a luxurious way to enjoy world-class artworks:
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Paper Finishing: Matte, uncoated, natural white (off-white).
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Acid-Free: pH above 7 to prevent yellowing over time.
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Paper Weight: 250 gsm (110 lb), Thickness: 0.29 mm (11.4 mils).
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Available Sizes: 29 sizes in inches (US&CA) and cms (rest of the world).
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Sustainable Paper: FSC-certified paper for sustainability.
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