Lyre Bird - Vintage Travel Poster

This engaging art print by the legendary James Northfield would likely have been commissioned by the government travel department. It shows a lively Lyre bird scratching around in the forest. The work imbues an almost painterly texture with subdued tones that are reflective of being close to the forest floor.

James Northfield is one of Australia's most popular graphic artists from the 1930s, 1940s and beyond. His love for Australian flora and fauna is evident in this work.

© All Northfield images courtesy of James Northfield Heritage Art Trust 

James Northfield was a commercial Australian graphic artist mostly active from 1910 and 1960. James was born in Inverleigh in 1887 and educated in Geelong. He died in 1973.

He was commissioned to produce a series of posters by the Australian National Travel Association, with the aim of encouraging visitors from local and overseas tourism markets. He also created a series of patriotic work for the Government during World War II.

His work was praised for its composition and detail and for accurately capturing Australian landscape and fauna.