1935 Monte Carlo Beach Travel Poster: SEM Riviera Art Deco Lithograph - linen backed

A spectacular original 1930s French travel poster for Monte Carlo Beach, designed in 1935 by SEM (Georges Goursat, 1863–1934) and printed by Draeger, Paris. This large-format lithograph promotes the Riviera resort as “Le Paradis Retrouvé” (“Paradise Regained”), using SEM’s playful, sophisticated style.

• Artist: SEM (Georges Goursat, 1863–1934)
• Year: 1935
• Size: 47 × 31 inches (120 × 80 cm)
• Printing: Lithograph on paper; professionally backed on linen
• Printer: Draeger, Paris
• Condition: A (Near Mint; small tear in lower right margin, expertly conserved)
• Authenticity: Original 1935 printing (not a reproduction); Certificate of Authenticity included

Monte Carlo Beach was newly established in the interwar years as a glamorous escape on the French Riviera, drawing Europe’s elite to its shoreline. SEM, a satirist and illustrator beloved in Belle Époque Paris, here turns to pure fantasy: a modern Adam and Eve water-ski over the waves, chased by a cheerful sea serpent, with Monte Carlo rising beyond. His signature humour, combined with Draeger’s superb lithographic printing, produces a vivid, light-filled composition that perfectly captured the Riviera’s allure.

This poster is considered one of SEM’s most desirable advertising designs. The unusual imagery, bright Mediterranean palette, and its condition (linen-backed, graded A) make it a highly collectible piece of Riviera travel history. A striking centrepiece for any Art Deco, Riviera, or advertising collection.

Ships rolled in a heavy-duty archival tube, fully insured. Every order includes a signed Certificate of Authenticity from Vintage Poster UK.