Chinese Cultural Revolution Poster

A soldier's raised hand points up, and two planes cross the sky.

This Cultural Revolution poster, The Military Stands Ready, comes from China, is dated 1970, and is ink on paper. Posters of the Cultural Revolution were mass produced and displayed in public spaces, combining bold color with clear messages about civic and political life. Three figures stand shoulder to shoulder: a worker in overalls with a rifle, a soldier in a green uniform with a red star and a weapon, and a young woman with a red cross bag. Pale blue sky fills the background behind them. Large red characters run across the bottom. It is 30 inches wide and 20.6 high.

All three look certain about the weather.