Sign of the Times: The Great American Political Poster, 1844-2012 showcases a sampling of rare, beautiful political posters from the past 170 years. The exhibit was adapted for travel by ExhibitsUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance. While designed as a marketing tool targeting millions of voters, the political poster has found a place in America’s cultural history as art. Dating to the 1840s – when hand-colored portraits were printed for the presidential race between the Whigs’ Henry Clay and eventual Democratic winner James K. Polk – the placards added color and intricacy at the turn of the 1900s, surged in popularity during World War II, and incorporated the counterculture, anti-war sentiments of the 1960s. Limited-edition prints featured such notable artists as Alexander Calder, Peter Max, and Andy Warhol. Usage surged anew with Barack Obama’s first run for the White House in 2008. Sign of the Times: The Great American Political Poster, 1844-2012 showcases a sampling of rare, beautiful political posters from the past 170 years. The exhibit was adapted for travel by ExhibitsUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance.