''The Late George Apley'', 1947 - art by Anselmo Ballester
by Movie World Posters
Title
''The Late George Apley'', 1947 - art by Anselmo Ballester
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Posters
Description
A vintage movie poster of ''The Late George Apley'', a 1947 American comedy-drama film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. It is based on the novel of the same name by John P. Marquand. The film stars Ronald Colman in the titular role of George Apley, a Bostonian who comes from a long line of respected and conservative New Englanders.
The story revolves around George Apley, a man deeply rooted in the traditions and values of his upper-class Boston family. However, George's life takes an unexpected turn when he falls in love with and marries a woman from a different social background, played by Peggy Cummins. This choice brings tension and conflict within the Apley family as they struggle to accept this unconventional match.
"The Late George Apley" is known for its witty and satirical portrayal of the upper-class Boston society in the early 20th century. It explores themes of tradition, family expectations, and the clash between old-world values and the changing times. The film offers a humorous commentary on the idiosyncrasies and eccentricities of the Boston elite.
Ronald Colman's performance in the film received critical acclaim, and "The Late George Apley" is considered a charming and thought-provoking comedy-drama from its era. It provides a window into the social dynamics and class distinctions of the time and serves as a reflection on the challenges of navigating tradition and modernity.
About the artist:
Anselmo Ballester (1897–1974) was a noted Italian painter and film poster designer from Rome. He was the son of Federico Ballester (Rome, 1868–1926), a painter of Spanish origins. Inspired by his father's artistic endeavors growing up, Anselmo completed his first works at 15.
After attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, he specialized in film advertising for the most important silent film production houses. He created posters and other advertising material for CINES, Caesar Film, and numerous other studios.
In his studio in Rome, via della Croce 50a (then via della Passeggiata Ripetta 19), he spent almost 50 years creating thousands of sketches for playbills and paintings for film posters. He went on to form the design company BCM along with two other prominent Italian poster artists, Alfredo Capitani and Luigi Martinati
The movie posters Ballester created between the 1930s and 1950s showcased his unique painting style using tempera medium and bold colors. They typically featured one or two significant characters. His style is reminiscent of pulp fiction covers and, like the best cinema advertisements, were infused with intrigue, conflict, and passion. His works were uncomplicated yet rich in detail, a techniqe and style he himself describes:
"To become a creator of film posters ... it is necessary to study passionately, always to draw and paint everything from the truth. Then you can let your imagination run free. Whether you are creating a work of art, or a more humble advertising poster, you must be able to attract the interest of the public, to satisfy both the most refined people and the roughest, who are the majority."
From a stylistic and compositional point of view, Alfredo Ballester began by drawing inspiration from the advertising posters of Art Nouveau, and then he defined his personal code. The painter exhibited a common layout in his movie posters: the actor or actress beautifully portrayed in the foreground, and one or two scenes from the film in the background.
To achieve this result, he used a methodical technique, making numerous sketches of the project only after having the best two selected by the client, he devoted himself to the final painting, strictly handmade.
Ballester's color palette, however, was his greatest talent. The artist used colors expressively, as a tool to convey emotions. The portraits of the stars were extremely realistic but often colored with unnatural hues such as pinks or intense light blues. Ballester illustrated his characters with colors capable of conveying the range of feelings transmitted by the film.
He was written about in "Anselmo Ballester: the Origins of the Film Poster," published by the University of Parma, Study Center and Communication Archive in 1981. In addition, Dave Kerr made extensive use of his images in his 2003 book, "Italian Film Posters, "published by The Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Permanent collections of his work are displayed at the University of Parma, Communication Studies Center and Archive (CSAC) and the Cinema Museum in Brush, Montecosaro.
To see more of his posters search by his last name.
Uploaded
June 4th, 2021
Embed
Share
Comments
There are no comments for ''The Late George Apley'', 1947 - art by Anselmo Ballester. Click here to post the first comment.