''Mardi Gras'', 1958 - art by Josep Soligo
by Movie World Posters
Title
''Mardi Gras'', 1958 - art by Josep Soligo
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Poster
Description
A vintage movie poster from Spain of ''Mardi Gras'', a musical comedy film released in 1958. The film was directed by Edmund Goulding and produced by William H. Wright. It is notable for being one of the early Cinemascope films, which was a widescreen format that was popular during the 1950s and 1960s.
The story of "Mardi Gras" is set in New Orleans during the annual Mardi Gras celebration, which is known for its vibrant parades, elaborate costumes, and festive atmosphere. The film follows a group of college students from the fictional Southwestern University who travel to New Orleans to experience Mardi Gras for themselves. The group includes three male friends, played by Pat Boone, Tommy Sands, and Gary Crosby, who are looking for romance and adventure during their trip.
As they immerse themselves in the festivities, they each have their own romantic escapades. Pat Boone's character falls for a local girl, played by Christine Carère, while Tommy Sands' character becomes enamored with a woman named Eadie, played by Sheree North. Gary Crosby's character, on the other hand, finds himself in humorous and sometimes embarrassing situations as he tries to impress women.
The film features musical numbers, colorful costumes, and lively dance sequences that capture the spirit of Mardi Gras. It also explores themes of love, friendship, and the excitement of youthful adventure. "Mardi Gras" is a lighthearted and entertaining film that offers a glimpse into the exuberant atmosphere of the famous New Orleans celebration.
While the film may not be considered a classic of its era, it is remembered for its portrayal of Mardi Gras and its role in the history of early widescreen cinema. Pat Boone and Tommy Sands were popular singers of the time, and their presence in the film added to its appeal for audiences of the late 1950s.
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.
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Uploaded
January 23rd, 2022
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