Santa Caterina del Sasso Travel Poster

4.9 (84 reviews)
Made locally
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90-day returns · 10-year guarantee
4.8/5 Excellent
Artist’s original work Never AI-generated
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Restored from the original artwork and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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S. Caterina del Sasso presents the celebrated monastery on Lake Maggiore as an encounter between architecture, rock and water. In this undated...

S. Caterina del Sasso presents the celebrated monastery on Lake Maggiore as an encounter between architecture, rock and water. In this undated Italian travel poster, the complex occupies the upper right of a tall composition, its pale walls, tiled roofs and slender tower poised against the cliff. Below, the lake opens into a broad expanse of blue, while dense green vegetation rises from the opposite foreground. The resulting diagonal—from foliage and water towards the elevated sanctuary—gives the landscape an immediate sense of scale and drama.

The poster belongs to the early-to-mid twentieth-century tradition of Italian tourism advertising, when expanding rail and leisure travel created a strong demand for memorable visual identities for particular destinations. Rather than documenting every architectural feature, such designs condensed a place into its most persuasive elements. Here, Santa Caterina del Sasso is defined by its remarkable lakeside position: the historic buildings appear almost embedded in the rock above Lake Maggiore. The treatment draws on Art Deco graphic clarity, combining simplified masses, decisive colour contrasts and an emphatic vertical format with touches of painterly detail.

A closer look

The monastery forms the brightest and most intricately described area. Arched openings articulate the lower façade, while balcony rails, projecting roofs and small changes in shadow prevent the pale architecture from becoming a single flat block. Warm cream and ochre tones stand out against the cooler blues of sky and lake. The tower rises as a narrow vertical accent, sharpening the silhouette and directing the eye upwards before the surrounding cliff brings it back towards the water.

Across the centre, the lake acts as both open space and visual pathway. Subtle bands of reflected light suggest movement on its surface, while distant hills recede in muted blue-green tones. A small boat at the left introduces a restrained human presence; dwarfed by the surrounding landscape, it also reinforces the monastery’s height above the shore. Soft clouds temper the upper sky without competing with the architecture.

The foreground is considerably denser. Layered greens and yellow-green highlights build the vegetation at the cliff edge, contrasting with the comparatively smooth water beyond. At lower right, rock descends towards the lake, visually anchoring the sanctuary to its rugged setting. The bold serif title, “S. CATERINA DEL SASSO”, is placed near the lower edge, where it functions as a firm graphic counterweight to the elevated buildings. Its directness is characteristic of destination posters: the landscape creates desire, and the lettering supplies the name to remember.

Context and significance

Santa Caterina del Sasso stands on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore in Lombardy, its religious buildings gathered along a steep rocky face above the water. That unusual setting made it especially suited to tourism imagery. The poster does not separate cultural heritage from natural scenery; church, cliff, lake and distant mountains are presented as a single experience. This synthesis was central to Italian promotional design, which often transformed regional architecture and landscape into concise, immediately recognisable emblems of place.

What distinguishes this interpretation is its balance of serenity and theatricality. The calm water and softened hills promise repose, yet the steep framing, elevated architecture and strong contrasts lend the scene an almost stage-like grandeur. Even at its most simplified, the design preserves telling details—the rhythm of the arches, the shadow beneath a roof, the tiny craft on the lake—that reward a slower look beyond the poster’s initial impact.

Choosing the right size and finish

Artwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.

If you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, ask our workshop for advice.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this art print.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. See examples of personalised artwork.

Choose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. See examples of our Aged artwork.

Every piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.

Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.

Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, contact our workshop.

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.

Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.

Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.

We make orders locally in 24 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.

  • We can deliver directly to the recipient
  • Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
  • Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
  • Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
  • 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide

If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.

Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.

We print and frame maps and artwork in 24 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.

Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.

Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.

Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.

If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.

Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.

Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.

Read our full delivery and local production guide

Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.

We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.

Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.

Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.

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

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

If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.

We work with interior designers, hospitality businesses, property professionals, offices and corporate buyers on individual pieces and larger coordinated projects.

This artwork can be adapted for a particular wall, room or project, and our workshop can help coordinate the dimensions, material and framing before production.

  • Exact, oversized and made-to-measure dimensions
  • Custom framing, mounting and alternative materials
  • Coordinated pieces for several rooms or locations
  • Art personalisation, to adjust the colour and style of the piece
  • Art and framing guidance from our workshop
  • Local production for projects around the world

Discuss this piece with our Trade & Projects team

Every restored art print begins with the original artist’s work—never an AI-generated replacement.

Our London studio works from carefully selected source material from museums, libraries, archives and private collections. We restore age-related damage, faded colour and imperfect reproduction while preserving the artist’s composition, brushwork, line, texture and period character.

We do not use generative AI to redraw, reinterpret or invent the artwork. Digital restoration is used only to recover and reproduce the original work as faithfully as possible.

Once restored, the master artwork is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.

Our giclée art prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks for a rich, museum-quality finish. Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.

Framed canvas and specialist cotton-rag editions are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.

Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.

See our returns and refund policy for full details.