Gotthard Pass Travel Poster: Gotthard Schweiz by Emil Cardinaux, 1914

“Gotthard Schweiz” by Emil Cardinaux (1914) captures the drama of the central Swiss Alps at a moment when Europe was falling in love with modern travel. Cardinaux frames the legendary Saint Gotthard region—gateway between northern and southern Switzerland—with sweeping alpine slopes, a serpentine railway, and a cluster of mountain buildings that signal welcome amid grandeur. Created in the early 20th century, this Art Deco–inflected design celebrates the new ease of reaching high places, turning the Gotthard into a symbol of both natural majesty and human ingenuity.

This listing is for a museum-quality fine art print of “Gotthard Schweiz,” produced on your choice of acid-free archival paper or artist’s cotton canvas. The Unique Maps Co. offers a curated range of sizes to suit intimate nooks or statement walls, with optional conservation-grade framing and matting. We’re glad to personalize your piece—think custom sizing, frame finishes, or a discreet gift note—so your print arrives ready to hang and perfectly tailored to your space.

About the artist: Emil Cardinaux was a Swiss painter and poster artist from the Bern region who helped define early Swiss graphic design. After briefly studying law at his parents’ urging, he followed his calling to Munich in 1898, training first with Ludwig Schmid-Reutte and later under the renowned Franz von Stuck. Returning to Bern in 1903 and settling in a purpose-built studio in nearby Muri by 1911, Cardinaux emerged as a key figure of the “Bern School” associated with Ferdinand Hodler—an influence visible in his simplified forms, strong contours, and commanding sense of scale.

Why this poster matters: In 1914, mountain travel was not only an adventure but a cultural statement. The Gotthard route—uniting Switzerland’s German- and Italian-speaking regions—stood at the crossroads of nature and technology. Cardinaux’s composition reads like an invitation to journey: train tracks arc purposefully through the valley, a village nestles at mid-ground, and jagged peaks hold the horizon. It’s a portrait of Swiss tourism at its zenith, when posters didn’t just advertise destinations—they authored them in the public imagination.

Design and color you’ll love: Dominant greens, earthy browns, and crystalline blues create a palette that feels both lush and alpine-clear. Cardinaux balances textured, craggy mountains with smoother foreground planes; gentle gradients model depth, while the geometric sweep of the track lines imparts motion. The clear separation of foreground, middle ground, and background builds cinematic perspective, and the bold title typography anchors the scene with quiet authority. As wall art, this print pairs beautifully with clean, modern interiors, rustic chalet styling, or a gallery wall of European travel posters—perfect for anyone who loves alpine scenery, historic railways, or the romance of early 20th-century design.

A timeless gift: This fine art print makes a thoughtful present for Christmas, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays, housewarmings, or to celebrate a recent trip across the Gotthard or a Swiss rail adventure. Whether commemorating a honeymoon in the Alps or inspiring the next journey, “Gotthard Schweiz” brings the sweep of Switzerland’s high country—and the elegance of golden-age travel—into everyday view.

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 18x24in (45x60cm) 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.

This artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and customised products take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes 1 or 2 days.

Please note that very large framed orders usually take longer to make and deliver. 

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world. This means your order will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and ensures that it won't be damaged during delivery. You'll never pay customs or import duty, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps and art prints are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all orders within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks, mugs and tote bags) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

Next Day delivery is also available in some countries (US, UK, Singapore, UAE) but please try to order early in the day so that we can get it sent out on time.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.