Norway Travel Poster: Fred. Olsens Linier by Peter Wilhelm Johannsen, 1912

Fred. Olsens Linier by Peter Wilhelm Johannsen, first published in 1912, is a luminous Art Nouveau travel poster celebrating the golden age of North Sea voyaging. Created for the Norwegian shipping company Fred. Olsen Lines, the design evokes the romance and reliability of ocean travel at a moment when modern tourism was taking shape. A watchful lighthouse rises from a rugged coast as a steamship slips across a soft blue horizon, promising safe passage to and from Scandinavia’s storied shores. Bold, curving typography is woven into the image, transforming the poster into both advertisement and artwork.

Offered here as a high-quality fine art print by The Unique Maps Co., this piece is available on acid-free archival paper or artist’s cotton canvas. Choose from a range of sizes, with custom framing in gallery-grade options to suit contemporary or traditional interiors. Personalization is available—add a dedication, a date of travel, or a translated caption to make your print uniquely yours.

About the artist: Peter Wilhelm Johannsen was a Scandinavian commercial artist active in the early 1900s, working at the intersection of illustration and advertising during the height of the Art Nouveau movement. His posters reveal an adept command of decorative lettering and balanced composition, distilling the identity of maritime brands into memorable, elegant imagery. Johannsen’s work belongs to a lineage of European poster art that elevated everyday advertising into collectible design.

This particular poster is noteworthy for its role in promoting sea travel between Norway and major European ports during the early 20th century. Steamship lines like Fred. Olsen were central to trade, migration, and leisure, and their posters appeared in booking offices, railway halls, and harbors where they enticed travelers with scenes of dependable ships and pristine coasts. The lighthouse—front and center—speaks to themes of safety and guidance, encapsulating the promise that defined ocean-going journeys of the era.

Color and design are central to the appeal. A palette led by soft maritime blues, grounded by earthy browns and crisp whites, gives the scene a calm, sea-breeze clarity. Warm red accents on the lighthouse create a focal point against gently curved clouds, while the ship’s clean forms suggest technological prowess without overpowering the natural landscape. The stylized lettering—sinuous yet authoritative—ties image and message together in true Art Nouveau fashion. It’s a striking statement piece for coastal homes, Scandi-inspired spaces, or anyone drawn to nautical heritage and timeless graphic design.

This fine art print makes a thoughtful gift for travelers who’ve explored Norway or the broader Nordic region, cruise lovers, sailors, or anyone with a soft spot for lighthouses and maritime history. It’s perfect for occasions such as Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, housewarmings, or to welcome home someone returning from a North Sea journey.

If you're not sure what size to order, or you're looking for a custom order of some kind – a different size, a different colour, a special frame – then please contact me. I usually respond within a few minutes.

You can see an example of my fine art personalisation service in the fifth image. Zoom in and take a look. My personalised artwork is always very well received. Take a look at more examples of personalisation.

You can also choose to age your art print to make it look older. This is popular amongst my customers who want their artwork to look like an older, antique print. You can see an example of ageing in the sixth product image, or go ahead and check out lots of examples of other aged artwork.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this art print.

I can print and frame this beautiful piece of art at sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). If you are looking for a size or framing option that isn't available online, please get in touch.

This artwork is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. My standard frames come in six colours (black, dark brown, dark grey, antique gold, oak and white), and custom framing is available for an additional charge. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.