Romance

In combining black and white photography with modernist daubs of paint in a clash of realism and abstraction, Wojciech Fangor created one of the most ethereally beautiful and powerful images of Audrey Hepburn ever produced for a movie campaign. The first Polish artist to have a solo exhibition at the Guggenheim and co-founder of the Polish School of Posters, Fangor remains one of the country's most celebrated artists. Although Western films were shown during the Soviet era in the Communist Bloc, American publicity materials were banned, allowing the state-commissioned artists to operate with total creative freedom from the demands of the big Hollywood studios, offering quirky and sometimes surreal interpretations which often had little reference to the film. Billy Wilder's 1957 romantic comedy Love in the Afternoon starred Audrey Hepburn as a naïve Parisian cello student who becomes infatuated with the rich playboy under investigation by her private detective father, played by Maurice Chevalier. Highlighting a trend to cast the young Audrey alongside Hollywood's older men, a 55 year old Gary Cooper played the male lead opposite the 27 year old Audrey, viewed by audiences at the time as a rather implausible age gap in an otherwise wonderfully frothy production. 

Condition

Very good (B+)

Backed on linen. One horizontal fold with visible wear. A few minor nicks and tears to edges have been smoothed and diminished by backing. Backed in the European style with no restoration. Some darkening to edges. Image and colours otherwise excellent.