''High Noon'', 1952, movie poster painting by Macario Gomez Quibus
by Movie World Posters
Title
''High Noon'', 1952, movie poster painting by Macario Gomez Quibus
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Painting - Movie Posters
Description
Base painting of the vintage movie poster for ''High Noon'', a classic American Western film released in 1952, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Set in the Old West, this iconic film is celebrated for its tense narrative, moral ambiguity, and powerful themes of duty, courage, and standing up for what is right.
The story unfolds in real-time as Marshal Will Kane, portrayed by Gary Cooper, prepares to face a group of vengeful outlaws who are set to arrive in the town of Hadleyville on the noon train. As Kane seeks assistance from the townspeople, he is met with indifference and cowardice, leaving him to confront the outlaws alone. With time running out and the odds stacked against him, Kane must make a fateful decision: to flee or to stay and fight for justice.
What sets "High Noon" apart is its gripping narrative structure and its exploration of moral complexity and individual responsibility. Director Fred Zinnemann masterfully builds tension throughout the film, creating a palpable sense of suspense and urgency as the clock ticks down to the climactic showdown.
Gary Cooper delivers a career-defining performance as Marshal Will Kane, embodying the character's stoic determination and moral integrity with understated grace and authenticity. Grace Kelly shines as Kane's devoted wife, Amy, who grapples with her own conflicted feelings about her husband's decision to confront the outlaws.
At its core, "High Noon" is a timeless parable about the nature of courage and the importance of taking a stand against injustice, even in the face of overwhelming odds. With its iconic imagery, memorable performances, and powerful message, the film remains a classic of American cinema, captivating audiences with its timeless relevance and universal themes.
Base art is the poster artwork after the text has been digitally removed.
About the artist:
Macario ("Mac") Gomez Quibus (1926-2018), born in Reus (Tarragona) Spain in 1926, was a well-known Spanish film poster artist. He developed a reputation among Hollywood studios for the powerful images he painted on Spanish film posters. He signed his works using the nickname, "Mac."
In his style, Mac is an artist with two faces. Some works are strongly expressive and dramatic, others lighter and luminous. There are movies posters characterized by vigorous brushstrokes, chiaroscuro effects, dark palettes, and almost Caravaggio-like lighting; others are extremely graphic, linear, schematic, characterized by the dazzling use of white color. The art of Quibus is a painting style based on lights and shadows, which goes beyond the conformist standards of design to achieve great expressive power.
When he was two, his father died in a work accident. Following an early talent in art, Mac studied at the School of Fine Arts beginning in 1935 and during the Spanish Civil War. At the age of 20, he visited Barcelona's Museum of Modern Art, where he discovered the work of 19th century Catalan painter Mariano Fortuny. Enamored by his style, Mac spent days examining Fortuny's canvases.
With a renewed motivation to continue studying art, he enrolled at the Escola de Belles Arts in Barcelona. He also began working in 1952 with an advertising company specializing in cinema. Later, he created art for the famous design studio, Clavé and Martí Picó (MCP), where he made numerous posters. One was a poster for "Ivanhoe," which caught the attention and acclaim of a senior executive at MGM.
In 1956, he earned his most significant break when Paramount studios hired him to design the poster for "The Ten Commandments," which led to a friendship with its star, Charlton Heston. Mac gifted Heston with a custom-painted portrait of Moses from the film, which the actor hung in his office. Similarly, Kirk Douglas received the original painting for "The Justices of the West."
From that point on, he continued to develop a style that transgressed the standard rules of composition and interpretation. Instead, he produced unique works with great expressive force. His style was credited for its creativity, nonconformity, and harmony. In recognition of his talent, in 1955, he was put in charge of all the publicity material for Tandem Films, a major Madrid film production company, and distributor.
Throughout his 20-year career, Mac earned esteem as one of Spain's finest film poster artists, having created over 4,000 works. Among the numerous Spanish posters he painted are some of today's most beloved films: "Casablanca," "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Rebeca," "Moulin Rouge," "El Cid," "Dr. No," "Play it Again, Sam," and "From Russia with Love."
Mac eventually became an independent artist who worked with all the American distributors. And although he had the chance to move to the United States, he chose not to leave his family or the creative inspiration he received living in Barcelona.
During his career, he received numerous honors. In 2012, the Sitges festival premiered the short film "Un chico de Portada," directed by David Muñoz, covering Mac's life and work, with interviews with the artist himself. In 2013, he was named an honorary member of the Catalan Film Academy. And in 2014, he received the Creu de Sant Jordi from the Generalitat de Catalunya. In addition, his work has been exhibited at the National Film Library in Madrid and the Verdi cinema in Barcelona.
By the time of his death in 2018, at the age of 92, he had created over 4,000 works, many of which still captivate movie fans today.
Search "Mac" to see more of his posters.
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October 24th, 2022
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