c.1942 El Grito de Guerra The War Cry Mexican Recruiting Mexico WWII Rare

Date: c.1941
Artist: Arreola, David and Luis Araiza
Size (in): 36.5” x 27”
Size (cm): 92.7 x 68.6
Condition: B+
Linen backed: No

This is a vintage original and very rare WWII era recruiting poster issued by the Mexican government shortly after Mexico entered the war on the side of the Allies. The lower margin indicates the poster was designed by Luis Araiza and based on a painting by David Arreola whose name appears in the lower right-hand corner of the image.

The artwork depicts the torpedoing of the Mexican oil tanker SS Potrero del Llano by the German U-Boat U-564 off the coast of Florida in May 1942. A week later another Mexican flagged oil tanker, the SS Faja de Oro, was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-Boat in the Gulf of Mexico. These two sinkings became the casus belli that led Mexico to declare war on the Axis powers and enter the conflict on the side of the Allies on May 22, 1942.

We trace this poster in two variants with this one being the full size version. This vintage original poster retains strong color with no pinholes or paper loss. The poster shows moderate handling wear including some creasing in the image area, some bumping on the edges and small corner creases.  With basic linen backing this poster would look almost new.  Overall condition is very good.