Lest Liberty Perish — Joseph Pennell, 1918

Joseph Pennell's dramatic 1918 design imagines the Statue of Liberty standing amid ruins while New York burns beyond the harbor. Sweeping red and orange passages dominate the sky and water, contrasted by deep blue-violet strokes and the dark monumental silhouette of Liberty and her damaged pedestal.

Created for the Fourth Liberty Loan campaign during the First World War, the image presents liberty itself as being threatened with destruction. Loose watercolor and crayon marks, exposed paper, handwritten notes and unfinished working details preserve the immediacy of Pennell's original design before the celebrated image was translated into a mass-produced war-bond poster.

Artwork Details

• Artist: Joseph Pennell (1857–1926)
• Title: Lest Liberty Perish from the Face of the Earth
• Original title: Lest Liberty Perish from the Face of the Earth — Buy Bonds
• Series: Fourth Liberty Loan / World War I poster design
• Date: 1918
• Period: World War I / Early 20th century
• Place of Origin: United States
• Medium: Watercolor sketch/design for poster

Framed Print Details

• Fine art printing: Professional 12-color fine art printing technology produces vivid, accurate colors with strong tonal depth and significantly greater nuance than standard 4-color inkjet printing.
• Paper: Smooth premium matte paper with a clean, glare-free finish.
• Paper weight: 200 gsm (80 lb).
• Paper thickness: 0.26 mm (10.3 mils).
• Frame material: Durable pine wood.
• Frame dimensions: Approximately 20 mm (0.79 in) deep and 10–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide.
• Protection: Shatterproof plexiglass protects the print while keeping the framed artwork lightweight.
• Ready to hang: A hanging kit is included, allowing the framed print to be mounted directly on the wall.
• Available sizes: Offered in a range of sizes to suit different spaces.
• Materials: Printed using FSC-certified paper and wood where available.
• Production: Each framed print is produced to order through a trusted international network of professional print studios.
• Shipping: Worldwide shipping is available.
• Made to order: There is no minimum order quantity. Each piece is printed and assembled on demand, reducing unnecessary stock and waste.

Exact frame dimensions, component availability, and production specifications may vary slightly depending on the selected size and destination.