I Want You - Uncle Sam Canvas Print

• National Archives Store Exclusive
• 11 X 14 inches
• Artist James Montgomery Flagg (1877-1960)

• Product Description

• This World War I poster was created in 1917 shortly after the United States entered the war. Before he created this poster, artist James Montgomery Flagg was responsible for reinterpreting the image of Uncle Sam, who previously had been portrayed as a sedentary old man. Flagg reimagined Uncle Sam as active and authoritative. Intended to encourage young men to enlist in the Army, the poster is the best known of some 46 works that Flagg created to support the war effort. Flagg called this image "the most famous poster in the world."

  Our canvas print, scaled-down version of the artwork makes a great piece for home or office.

During World Wars I and II, many branches of the federal government used posters to urge Americans to support the war effort. In a time without TV or the internet, posters were an inexpensive way to deliver powerful messages to millions of people. The government hired well-known artists to create designs that unified the American people, and new posters are still in production. These posters serve as significant historical artifacts that document the efforts to mobilize and inspire the American public during the World Wars.

Due to the mandatory transfer of records from federal agencies, the National Archives acquired a significant collection of famous posters that were created by the federal government.

The National Archives preserves more than 50,000 posters in its Still Picture holdings.