1911 Britton and Rey Chromolithograph View of San Francisco and Grizzly 'Undaunted'

This is a rare 1911 Britton and Rey chromolithograph view of San Francisco, issued to promote the city's resurgent spirit following the 1906 San Francisco Fire. The main image is accompanied by a smaller postcard derivative. A titanic grizzly bear represents the spirit of San Francisco, 'a city undaunted by tragedy, audaciously innovative, rising to meet the challenges of the day.'

A Closer Look

The view looks on San Francisco as it burns, a clear reference to the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire in which 80% of the city was destroyed. Dominating the image is a fearsome grizzly bear roaring, representing California. It has an arrow in its back, but this does little to diminish its evident power.

This image was produced for the California Insurance Company's 'Undaunted' campaign, an advertising effort closely aligned with the prevailing spirit of San Francisco at the time - wounded yes, but uncowed and looking forward, both to rebuilding and to presenting itself on the world stage in the upcoming 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. The accompanying postcard, which features a prospective view of the Exposition, makes this message much clearer.

Chromolithography

Chromolithography, sometimes called oleography, is a color lithographic technique developed in the mid-19th century. The process uses multiple lithographic stones, one for each color, to yield a rich composite effect. Generally, a chromolithograph begins with a black base coat upon which subsequent colors are layered. Some chromolithographs used 30 or more separate lithographic stones to achieve the desired effect. Chromolithograph color can be blended for even more dramatic results. The process became extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it emerged as the dominant method of color printing. The vivid color chromolithography made it exceptionally effective for advertising and propaganda.

Publication History and Census

This view was lithographed by Britton and Rey in San Francisco on behalf of the California Insurance Company. Although the view is undated, the accompanying postcard bears a 1911 postmark, affirming our dating. The only known holding of this piece is the California State Library, where it is presumptively dated 1907. The postcard is more common, with multiple institutional holdings, including the California State Library and the Huntington Library.