Kartografiska institutet’s 1931 travel poster Sweden Suède Sverige turns the country into a vivid, illustrated map: an elongated orange landmass surrounded by deep blue water and animated with mountains, forests, settlements, animals and ships. Rather than presenting Sweden through a single celebrated monument, the design gathers an entire nation into one playful cartographic panorama. The emphatic title at the top and the bright sun in the upper right give the composition an immediate graphic force, while a multitude of miniature details rewards closer inspection.

Issued during the interwar period, the poster addresses travellers in English, French and Swedish, revealing the international audience Sweden hoped to attract. Its Art Deco-inflected clarity belongs to an era when tourism advertising increasingly relied on simplified forms, bold colour and memorable typography. Kartografiska institutet combines this modern promotional language with the conventions of mapmaking: Sweden is made geographically legible, but also transformed into an enticing catalogue of scenery, culture and leisure. The result is less a practical map than a persuasive portrait of the country.

A closer look

The central map is structured by one of the poster’s strongest contrasts. Warm orange defines the land against saturated blue seas, while green forests, brown mountain forms, yellow highlights and crisp black outlines subdivide the terrain. Thin regional boundaries provide order without suppressing the illustration. Across the map, tiny villages and buildings sit among textured woodland and rocky uplands; small animals appear within the landscape, and boats punctuate the long coastline. These details create a lively rhythm of discovery, turning geographical space into a succession of miniature scenes.

At the upper left, a smaller inset places Sweden within the broader Scandinavian region, including Finland and Norway. This restrained point of orientation contrasts with the exuberance of the main map. In the upper right, a large sun accompanies the French phrase “LE SOLEIL DE MINUIT”, making the Midnight Sun one of the country’s defining attractions. The motif is both descriptive and promotional: an unusual northern phenomenon becomes a bold circular emblem that balances the tall, irregular shape of Sweden below.

Transport is woven into the design rather than treated as an afterthought. Steamships and coastal vessels suggest maritime connections, while the lower-right text advertises routes from Hamburg and Berlin to Sweden. Decorative frames separate this practical information from the illustrated map, yet the ships visually bridge the two areas. The poster therefore presents not only what might be encountered on arrival, but also the means of reaching it.

Context and significance

Travel posters of the early twentieth century had to communicate at a glance in stations, booking offices and other public settings. Sweden Suède Sverige answers that demand through a clear hierarchy: country name first, recognisable map second, then a wealth of regional attractions for the eye to explore. Its multilingual wording and references to continental transport routes place Sweden within a network of European travel while preserving a distinctive national identity built from coastline, forests, northern light and scattered settlements.

The poster’s particular charm lies in the meeting of cartographic order and visual abundance. Borders, labels and geographical outlines supply structure, but the small boats, buildings, animals and landscape motifs prevent the country from feeling abstract. Sweden becomes at once a destination, a map and a compact illustrated world—modern in its graphic confidence, yet full of affectionate, closely observed detail.

Choosing the right size and finish

Artwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.

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The model in the listing images is holding the 36x24in (90x60cm) version of this art print.

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Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, contact our workshop.

This artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.