The graphic representation of architecture is centuries old, but only since the start of the 20th century has the device of the printed poster become a crucial tool in disseminating the image and idea of architecture to a wider audience.
For the first time in Canada, a major collection of architectural posters is to be unveiled. The University of Toronto’s Eric Arthur Gallery hosts an exhibition of unique and rare examples from the collection of Robert G. Hill, an architect and architectural historian. Assembled over a 40-year period (from 1960 to 2000), this important collection has been inaccessible until now.
The Hill collection of nearly 1,600 posters was assembled from museums and institutions in 20 different countries in Europe, Asia, and North America. The highlights shown in the exhibition are arranged thematically, on subjects as diverse as the conceptual representation of architectural ideas to the use of models, drawings, and typography that promote both the architect and the architect’s work.
Graphic Virtuosity: Architectural Posters from the Robert G. Hill Collection runs from Sept. 10 to Dec. 8.