The Enemy is Syphilis Vintage 1930s WPA Public Health Poster

Produced by the Illinois WPA Art Project in Chicago sometime between 1936 and 1940, this poster was part of a wide-reaching public health campaign urging employers to support workplace syphilis testing and treatment — a genuinely significant public health push in the pre-antibiotic era, when the disease carried serious stigma and risk. The striking silhouette of a gas-masked figure looming over marching workers is bold, graphic, and unmistakably of its era — a strong example of how WPA artists used war-adjacent imagery to convey urgency around public health.

Restored from the Library of Congress archival scan, preserving the original black, white, and blue palette.

Product features

- Giclée printing for bright, long-lasting color and sunlight resistance

- Three paper options: Fine Art (textured archival), Matte (lighter, low-glare), Semi-Glossy (satin photo finish)

- Multiple sizes and horizontal/vertical orientation choices

- Paper weights: Fine Art 285 g/m²; Matte 189–200 g/m²; Semi-Glossy 180–260 g/m² depending on source

- Blank product sourced from USA (JONDO) and Japan (Printify Choice); adult use only

Care instructions

- If the print does gather any dust, you may wipe it off gently with a clean, dry cloth.