IMP FRANCAISES REUNIES - Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes. Paquebots Poste Français, Australie, Océan Indien, Indo-Chine, Méditérannée, Brésil & Plata. (Annam boat)

Original lithographed poster created by the artist Abel Brun for Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes, showing a vessel named Annam. Printed by Eugene Marx & Cie., Paris.

Les Messageries Maritimes Company (MM) is a French shipping company, independent from 1851 to 1977, then merged with the Transatlantic General Company (CGT) to form the Compagnie Générale Maritime (CGM).

By the end of the nineteenth century, the greatest illustrators and poster artists had used their talent to translate the power of the ships and evoke the charm of sea travel to distant destinations.
The creativity of these artists was largely encouraged by orders from shipping companies.