1918 Girl Reserves of the Y.W.C.A. by Edward Poucher Basketball YMCA WWI

Date: 1918Artist: Poucher, Edward   Size (in): 28.5” x 21.5”Size (cm): 72.4 x 54.6Condition: B+Linen backed: Yes  This rare WWI era poster was created by the artist Edward Poucher to help recruit girls for the Girl Reserves, a program of the Young Women’s Christian Association.    Poucher renders an image of a young lady in gym uniform shooting a basketball with text that reads:  The Girl Reserves of the Y.M.C.A. Help us put the Blue Triangle over the top!   Edward Poucher was a prolific illustrator who worked mostly in fashion illustration and created covers for several women’s magazines including Good Housekeeping, Ladies’ Home Journal, Woman’s Home Companion and others.   In spite of his large body of work, not much is known about Poucher today.    The Girl Reserves program of the YMCA achieved enormous popularity during the WWI era recruiting girls between the ages of 12 and 18 to help with the war effort while also offering opportunities for personal and social development and