French WWI Poster 'Save Bread Eat Potatoes' Color Print Framed

An official French First World War poster from the spa at Chanteduc, this personal piece from Patricia and Walter Wells bears the clear plea “Économisons le pain en mangeant des pommes de terre,” translated as “Save bread by eating potatoes.” Created for a City of Paris school competition addressing wartime shortages, Patricia explains that it is “beautiful and moving, a quiet lesson in resilience and good sense that still speaks to today’s kitchen.” Rooted in the Wells world of markets, gardens and shared tables, it reflects her teaching of intelligent simplicity and resourcefulness. The color print on paper depicts a generous bowl of potatoes on a red check tablecloth, a fork poised to serve. Calm tones of sage, ocher and brick feel warmly domestic. It is presented with a cream mat and a slim red frame, modest in scale and preserved under glass. The paper shows gentle age toning and the soft patina expected of an authentic period example from the Wells collection at Chanteduc. Hang it in a kitchen, pantry or dining nook to spark conversation about thrift, seasonality and the enduring pleasure of potatoes. It also suits a study or hallway, where its measured message and refined presentation bring a thoughtful fragment of French culinary history into daily view.