Chicago Travel Poster: World’s Brightest Spot – Go! by The Cuneo Press, Inc., 1933

“Chicago. World’s Brightest Spot. Go!” is a vibrant 1933 travel poster created for the A Century of Progress International Exposition. The composition urges the viewer forward with a handwritten “go!” in cream, punctuated by a scarlet exclamation point against a deep black sky. Below, a sea‑green globe with crisp meridians centers a yellow medallion ringed with the words “A CENTURY OF PROGRESS,” while a bold red diagonal at the base declares “CHICAGO – WORLD’S BRIGHTEST SPOT.” In the lower margin the credit reads “THE CUNEO PRESS, INC., CHICAGO, ILL.” — placing this piece firmly in the heart of Midwestern print history.

Your print is a museum‑quality reproduction offered on acid‑free archival paper or artist’s cotton canvas. Choose from a range of sizes, with optional matting and framing to suit your space. The Unique Maps Co. can personalize the piece with custom captions, dates, or dedication lines, and can adjust borders or color balance on request to match your décor.

About the maker: while the individual artist is unknown, the poster was produced by The Cuneo Press, Inc. of Chicago, one of the city’s foremost commercial lithographers in the early twentieth century. Cuneo employed accomplished in‑house illustrators and printers whose streamlined, high‑impact designs helped define the look of Midwest advertising, railroad ephemera, and World’s Fair publicity during the interwar years.

Why this subject matters: the 1933–34 World’s Fair symbolized optimism during the Great Depression, celebrating modern technology, electric illumination, and Chicago’s renewed status as a global metropolis. The slogan “World’s Brightest Spot” nods to the fair’s dazzling nighttime lighting—searchlights, neon, and floodlit pavilions—that turned the lakefront into a beacon for visitors from around the world.

Design you can live with: this poster is pure Art Deco—geometric, dynamic, and immediately legible. The sweeping red diagonal that slices across the lower third and the blocky “CHICAGO” lettering in white with a vivid red shadow create a powerful sense of motion. The cool green globe recedes under a warm yellow disk, balancing color temperatures beautifully, while the hand‑lettered “go!” adds a friendly human touch. Those crisp lines and confident colors make it an ideal statement piece for modern, industrial, or mid‑century interiors.

This fine art print is a thoughtful gift for Chicagoans, architecture and design lovers, or anyone who has visited the city or the former fairgrounds along the lakefront. Perfect for birthdays, housewarmings, graduations, Father’s or Mother’s Day, or as a nostalgic Christmas present that celebrates travel, innovation, and the enduring allure of Chicago.

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 24x36in (60x90cm) 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.