''San Francisco Story'', 1952 - art by Luigi Martinati
by Movie World Posters
Title
''San Francisco Story'', 1952 - art by Luigi Martinati
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Poster
Description
A vintage Italian movie poster of ''San Francisco Story'', a 1952 American Western film directed by Robert Pirosh and starring Joel McCrea, Yvonne De Carlo, and Richard Erdman. While the title may suggest a San Francisco-based story, it is actually a Western film that takes place in the gold rush era of California.
The film's plot revolves around the character of Rick Nelson, played by Joel McCrea, who is a successful mining engineer working in Mexico. He returns to California to visit his family and becomes entangled in a conflict over a valuable piece of land. The land is believed to have a significant gold deposit, and several parties are interested in acquiring it.
Yvonne De Carlo plays the role of Karen, a saloon owner and love interest of Rick Nelson, while Richard Erdman portrays the character of "Gabby" Chapman, a young boy who befriends Rick. The film explores themes of greed, love, and the challenges of life during the gold rush era.
"San Francisco Story" combines elements of romance, drama, and action within a Western setting. It's known for its picturesque outdoor scenes and captures the essence of California's gold rush era. While not as well-known as some other Western classics from the same period, the film remains a notable entry in the genre and provides a glimpse into the historical backdrop of the California gold rush.
About the artist:
Luigi Martinati (1893-1983), born in Florence, Italy, on Dec. 31, 1893, was a significant Italian illustrator and painter. He spent most of his career creating artwork for film posters.
While growing up in Florence, he attended the Academy of Fine Arts, then moved to Rome in 1911 when he was 18. There, he worked as an apprentice for film poster artist Federico Ballester (1868-1926), the father of Anselmo Ballester, who also became a poster artist.
Between 1923 and 1941, he devoted himself to advertising illustration. He designed posters of various subjects and themes, from commercial advertising billboards to tourist signs to political posters to significant celebratory events.
He later became the director of IGAP (Impresa Generale Affissioni PubblicitĂ ), a leading advertising agency in Rome. In that role, he began collaborating with various film companies, primarily Warner Brothers studios. Soon after World War II, the advertising sector became dedicated exclusively to movie illustrations.
In the mid-1940s, he teamed up with two other painters of Italian film posters, Anselmo Ballester and Alfredo Capitani. Together, they founded BCM studio (using letters from their surnames) and dedicated their efforts exclusively to producing film posters.
Martinati's images typically invoked robust realism. His style was characterized by a foreground depicting a large portrait with a minor scene in the background. He also stands out for his technique, which focused on the strength of the subjects without lingering on details and particulars. The heroes of Martinati posters are realistic and believable, with few exaggerated expressions or poses..
In 1959, he cut back on his partnership with Warner Brothers and other film production and distribution companies. By 1967, he discontinued his successful career as a film poster artist to work primarily as an easel painter.
He died in Rome in 1983 at the age of 90.
To see some of his other posters, enter his last name in the search.
Uploaded
January 23rd, 2022
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