Johnny Weissmuller painting by Sergio Gargiulo

by Movie World Posters

Title

Johnny Weissmuller painting by Sergio Gargiulo

Artist

Movie World Posters

Medium

Painting - Movie Posters

Description

Base painting for the vintage movie poster of Johnny Weissmuller, painted by Sergio Gargiulo. Johnny Weissmuller (1904–1984) was an iconic figure in both the world of swimming and Hollywood. Here's a brief biography:

Early Life and Swimming Career:
Johnny Weissmuller was born on June 2, 1904, in Freidorf, near Timișoara, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time (now in Romania). His family immigrated to the United States when he was a child, settling in Chicago. Weissmuller began swimming at a young age and quickly established himself as a formidable talent in the sport.

In the 1920s, Weissmuller dominated competitive swimming, winning five Olympic gold medals and setting numerous world records. He competed in the 1924 Paris Olympics, where he won three gold medals in the 100-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle, and 4x200-meter freestyle relay. He followed this up with two more gold medals at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, solidifying his reputation as one of the greatest swimmers of his time.

Transition to Acting:
After retiring from competitive swimming, Weissmuller found success as an actor, most famously portraying the character Tarzan in a series of films produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). He starred in 12 Tarzan films between 1932 and 1948, earning a place in cinematic history as one of the most iconic portrayals of the jungle hero.

Weissmuller's portrayal of Tarzan was characterized by his impressive physique, athletic prowess, and distinctive jungle call, which became synonymous with the character. His on-screen chemistry with co-star Maureen O'Sullivan, who played Jane, also contributed to the popularity of the films.

Later Life and Legacy:
After retiring from acting, Weissmuller made occasional appearances in film and television and worked as a spokesperson for various health and fitness products. He also lent his name to a line of swimming pools.

Johnny Weissmuller passed away on January 20, 1984, in Acapulco, Mexico, at the age of 79. He is remembered as one of the greatest swimmers of all time and an enduring cultural icon, thanks to his contributions to both the world of sports and entertainment. His legacy continues to inspire generations of athletes and film enthusiasts around the world.

Base art is the poster artwork after the text has been digitally removed.

About the artist:

Sergio Gargiulo was an Italian painter and poster artist. In the 1930s he was commissioned by MGM to do publicity portraits of some of its leading stars.

Gargiulo's art has an extremely personal and recognizable style. The focus of the designer, in fact, falls precisely on faces: there is no setting or scenery; gazes and facial expressions are enough to connote the story. The focus of this artist is on portraits and the plot becomes secondary, preferring a simple and minimal graphic composition.

In this stylistic choice, Gargiulo favors clean, graphic lines and the use of iridescent and bright colors to create luminous effects on the face. The movie stars occupy the space entirely, carving out a space in fanciful spots, clouds, or squares. In some cases, Gargiulo chooses interesting monochrome shades of gray or shades of bronze, giving the characters the noble status of sculpture. Gargiulo's artworks are sculptural portraits.

Search “Gargiulo” to see his other art.

Uploaded

October 19th, 2022

Colors

Embed

Share

Tags