''Black Narcissus'', 1947 - art by Anselmo Ballester
by Movie World Posters
Title
''Black Narcissus'', 1947 - art by Anselmo Ballester
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Poster
Description
A vintage Italian movie poster of ''Black Narcissus'', a classic British drama film released in 1947, directed and produced by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The film is based on a 1939 novel of the same name by Rumer Godden and is known for its stunning cinematography, art direction, and intense emotional storytelling.
The movie is set in the Himalayas and follows a group of Anglican nuns who establish a convent in a remote palace perched high in the mountains. Sister Clodagh, played by Deborah Kerr, is appointed as the Sister Superior, and she is tasked with maintaining the order's mission in this challenging and exotic environment.
As the nuns struggle to adapt to their new surroundings and the isolation of the palace, they face various trials and tribulations, including cultural clashes with the local residents and their own personal demons. Sister Clodagh becomes haunted by her past, and the presence of Mr. Dean, a British agent played by David Farrar, stirs up complex emotions among the nuns.
The film explores themes of faith, desire, isolation, and cultural clashes, as the nuns grapple with their own inner conflicts and the harsh, sensual allure of the Himalayan landscape. The breathtaking cinematography, especially in capturing the palace's surroundings and the mountainous terrain, contributes significantly to the film's atmosphere and mood.
"Black Narcissus" is known for its lush and vibrant visual style, with striking color schemes and meticulous attention to detail in the set design and costumes. The film received critical acclaim upon its release and won two Academy Awards for Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography (Color). It remains a classic of British cinema and is celebrated for its psychological depth and visual beauty, making it a landmark in cinematic history.
About the artist:
Anselmo Ballester (1897–1974) was a noted Italian painter and film poster designer from Rome. He was the son of Federico Ballester (Rome, 1868–1926), a painter of Spanish origins. Inspired by his father's artistic endeavors growing up, Anselmo completed his first works at 15.
After attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, he specialized in film advertising for the most important silent film production houses. He created posters and other advertising material for CINES, Caesar Film, and numerous other studios.
In his studio in Rome, via della Croce 50a (then via della Passeggiata Ripetta 19), he spent almost 50 years creating thousands of sketches for playbills and paintings for film posters. He went on to form the design company BCM along with two other prominent Italian poster artists, Alfredo Capitani and Luigi Martinati
The movie posters Ballester created between the 1930s and 1950s showcased his unique painting style using tempera medium and bold colors. They typically featured one or two significant characters. His style is reminiscent of pulp fiction covers and, like the best cinema advertisements, were infused with intrigue, conflict, and passion. His works were uncomplicated yet rich in detail, a techniqe and style he himself describes:
"To become a creator of film posters ... it is necessary to study passionately, always to draw and paint everything from the truth. Then you can let your imagination run free. Whether you are creating a work of art, or a more humble advertising poster, you must be able to attract the interest of the public, to satisfy both the most refined people and the roughest, who are the majority."
From a stylistic and compositional point of view, Alfredo Ballester began by drawing inspiration from the advertising posters of Art Nouveau, and then he defined his personal code. The painter exhibited a common layout in his movie posters: the actor or actress beautifully portrayed in the foreground, and one or two scenes from the film in the background.
To achieve this result, he used a methodical technique, making numerous sketches of the project only after having the best two selected by the client, he devoted himself to the final painting, strictly handmade.
Ballester's color palette, however, was his greatest talent. The artist used colors expressively, as a tool to convey emotions. The portraits of the stars were extremely realistic but often colored with unnatural hues such as pinks or intense light blues. Ballester illustrated his characters with colors capable of conveying the range of feelings transmitted by the film.
He was written about in "Anselmo Ballester: the Origins of the Film Poster," published by the University of Parma, Study Center and Communication Archive in 1981. In addition, Dave Kerr made extensive use of his images in his 2003 book, "Italian Film Posters, "published by The Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Permanent collections of his work are displayed at the University of Parma, Communication Studies Center and Archive (CSAC) and the Cinema Museum in Brush, Montecosaro.
To see more of his posters search by his last name.
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January 24th, 2022
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