This original travel poster was commissioned by the UAT airline in the ‘50s. It’s a Darboy-Paris lithography designed by the painter and illustrator Toni Mella (1907 - 1984). The UK-born artist graduated from the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs in Paris and earned a reputation as a successful Lieutenant in the Free French Forces as well as for designing the Cross of Liberation. This poster is part of a series promoting African destinations. At the time, the company was flying to French West Africa, French Equatorial Africa and the Far-East. Toni Mella was inspired by the African savannah and its wildlife. The Lion’s fine features are drawn on a golden canvas with various earthy tones. UAT was one of the first airlines to fly jet-powered aircrafts such as the “Comet 1”, which is depicted flying over the lion, epitomising the company’s modernity and asserting it as one of the world’s leading airlines.