''Desiree'', 1954 - art by Josep Soligo
by Movie World Posters
Title
''Desiree'', 1954 - art by Josep Soligo
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Posters
Description
A vintage movie poster ''Desiree'' a 1954 American historical romance film directed by Henry Koster and starring Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, and Merle Oberon. The film is based on the historical romance novel of the same name by Annemarie Selinko and tells the story of Desiree Clary, who would become Queen Desideria of Sweden. Here's a detailed description of "Desiree":
Plot and Setting:
"Desiree" is set in 18th-century France and Sweden and is loosely based on the real-life story of Desiree Clary (played by Jean Simmons). The film follows Desiree's life from her humble beginnings as the daughter of a silk merchant in Marseille to her romantic entanglements with important historical figures.
Desiree Clary's Journey:
The film primarily focuses on Desiree Clary's journey from her early love affair with Napoleon Bonaparte (played by Marlon Brando) to her eventual marriage to Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (played by Michael Rennie), who would later become King Charles XIV John of Sweden.
Romantic Drama:
At its core, "Desiree" is a romantic drama that explores the love affairs and relationships of its central characters. The film delves into the passionate romance between Desiree and Napoleon, the political intrigue of the era, and Desiree's eventual love for Bernadotte.
Marlon Brando as Napoleon:
One of the notable aspects of the film is Marlon Brando's portrayal of Napoleon Bonaparte. Brando brings his charisma and acting prowess to the role, portraying the historical figure with depth and complexity.
Jean Simmons as Desiree:
Jean Simmons delivers a strong performance as Desiree Clary, capturing the character's transformation from a young and innocent girl to a woman involved in the politics and romance of her time.
Historical Context:
"Desiree" is set against the backdrop of significant historical events, including the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. The film incorporates elements of history and politics into its romantic narrative.
Costume and Set Design:
The film features lavish period costumes and sets that recreate the opulence and elegance of 18th-century France and Sweden. The visual elements contribute to the film's historical authenticity.
Themes:
"Desiree" explores themes of love, ambition, destiny, and the choices individuals make in pursuit of their desires. It also examines the impact of historical events on personal lives.
Legacy:
While "Desiree" may not be as well-remembered as some other historical epics of its time, it remains a noteworthy film for its romantic drama, strong performances, and its depiction of the life of Desiree Clary, who became Queen Desideria of Sweden.
In summary, "Desiree" is a 1954 historical romance film that tells the story of Desiree Clary, her love affairs with Napoleon Bonaparte, and her eventual marriage to King Charles XIV John of Sweden. The film blends romance with historical events and is notable for the performances of Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons in their respective roles.
About the artist:
Josep Soligo Tena (November 4, 1910, Barcelona – September 8, 1994) was a Spanish painter, draftsman, and illustrator famous for his posters, billboards, and cinema playbills. Alongside Jano and Mac, he is considered one of Spain's finest movie poster artists.
Soligo's posters spread across the city walls: impossible not to notice them. Colorful, expressionistic, and free from dogmatic schemes, his artworks often have anti-naturalistic colors that attract attention. The faces of movie stars often have red, orange, bright yellow, even green tones, creating a very striking monochrome. If in Soligo's work the chromatic choices are free and unconventional, his representation and use of line are strictly linked to a realistic and almost photographic style.
We can perceive in his posters a strong dissonance between the world of color - imaginative, brilliant - and that of the portrait, anchored in reality. Soligo's painting is a painting of chromatic contrasts, juxtaposition of complementary colors, warm and cold tones that echo each other, but always remain faithful to the real world.
To help support his family, Soligo dropped out of school at 14 to work in a ceramics workshop. After teaching himself drawing, painting, and composition, he enrolled as a night student at the San Jorge School of Fine Arts. While there, he received honors for his sculpting, drawing, and painting and was awarded a Gold Medal upon graduation.
In 1935 and 1936, he received several prizes, including the Art Modern, Saló de Barcelona, and the Comte de Lavern of the Catalan Academy of Fine Arts of Sant Jordi. In the 1940s, his work was selected by the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Barcelona.
One of his first artistic jobs was as a painter for the art department at the Spanish subsidiary of Fox Studios, which hired him as a lithographic poster artist. He soon also created numerous posters for 20th Century Fox and worked for Paramount studio for three years. To retain his services, Fox offered him an exclusive contract in 1943. From 1951 to 1956, he also produced 40 posters for Rosa Films.
Around 1961, Fox studios in Spain started printing their posters on offset presses to cut costs and accelerate production. And while Soligo designed a few posters for offset presses from 1961 to 1970, he preferred lithography, which produced richer and more dynamic colors on much heavier paper. As a result, he ultimately devoted himself to easel painting until he died in 1994, painting portraits, still lifes, and landscapes.
Search "Soligo" to see other art.
Uploaded
May 9th, 2021
Embed
Share
Comments
There are no comments for ''Desiree'', 1954 - art by Josep Soligo. Click here to post the first comment.