Artist Eugene Savage was commissioned in 1940 to create nine 4 x 8 foot Hawaiian murals for the Matson Company. After the war, cruise ships reinstated passages to the Hawaiian Islands and The Matson Company resumed passanger service to Honolulu with the “Lurline” in 1948.
On the maiden crossing, six of Savage’s murals were reproduced for the voyage’s menu covers. Over the years, over a quarter million of these menus were printed and kept as mementos from passengers cherished trips to paradise.
The art from those menus would influence many textile prints produced by numerous garment manufacturers during the late 1940s through the 1950s. Iolani had a close relationship with textile printers in Japan and coordinated this Savage-like design. Most likely they sent menus with Savage’s art to Japan where artists carefully rendered the majestic Hawaiiana scenes.
This one way colorful design combined images from Savage’s various murals depicting Hawaiian royalty, sailing canoe, lei maker’s, hula maiden’s and majestic mountains.
