Chinese # 39 - New Lathe

This Chinese propaganda poster celebrates technical education and the spread of practical industrial knowledge among workers and the broader community. At the center of the composition is a large metalworking lathe, surrounded by an enthusiastic group of men, women and children who have gathered to watch a demonstration. The slogan printed beneath the image reads “学文化 学技术,” meaning “Learn Culture, Learn Technology.”The slogan “Learn Culture, Learn Technology” reflects campaigns in the People’s Republic of China that linked literacy and general education with the acquisition of practical technical skills. Industrial workers were encouraged not simply to perform manual labor but also to understand machinery, production methods and modern technology. Posters of this type presented education, technical competence and industrial development as interconnected elements in the modernization of Chinese society.The artist of this poster has not been identified from the information presently available. Its detailed narrative composition, realistically rendered figures and optimistic depiction of workers, families and modern machinery are characteristic of Chinese propaganda poster art promoting education, industrialization and technological progress.This is an Original Vintage Poster, it is not a reproduction. This poster is conservation mounted, linen backed and in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all our posters.