Jano: half a century of movie posters
"Jano was a film explainer."
José Luis Piqueras (movie poster distributor)
“Complejo el Águila”. Exhibition Hall of the Regional Library of Madrid “Joaquín Leguina”.
C/ Ramírez de Prado
June 21, 2024 to Sunday, September 15, 2024
The Saturdays of my childhood are etched in my mind. My parents ran a grocery store near Cuatro Caminos in Madrid (Spain). Those were the years when the subway network was not as extensive as it is now, and when the store was closed, to get home we took a bus, the 2, which passed through the Gran Vía Madrileña.
I remember, with all clarity, how my face was getting closer and closer to the dirty glass of the 2, anticipating the spectacle that was about to arrive..
It was just a few moments before falling, as every Saturday, under the spell of the large movie posters that covered the buildings of the Gran Vía Madrileña. Authentic works of art with dimensions of 2 x 4 meters, and even larger. Panels from which the big movie stars watched us, the tiny passers-by.
Those moments, sitting and gazing raptly out of a window at those huge movie posters, are one of the great memories of my childhood.
In those huge posters, called marquees, made in a totally handmade way by great artists of drawing and sign makers, the big letters that stood out on those giant colored drawings, announcing the names of the most famous actors of the moment together with the titles of the movies.
These huge billboards, whose images were visible from the sidewalk, were painted with tempera on large stretcher frames. One of the most outstanding Spanish artists, if not the best in this art, was Jano.
All photos are my property; taken with the camera of my Xiaomi 14 cell phone and edited with GIMP.
Jano in his studio in Bordadores street (Madrid), Spain.
JANO
Jano, Francisco Fernández-Zarza Pérez is the protagonist of today's exhibition was a multifaceted artist, among his artistic production we can find movie posters, press clichés, advertising guides or press-books, hand programs, comics, caricatures, material for shows such as theater, circus or the world of song, ... etc..
Generic poster for the tour of the singer Raphael made by Jano in 1979.
Jano stood out as an illustrator of covers such as Flash Gordon or El Coyote, but above all he was a great creator of movie posters in the classic era of cinema, perhaps the best Spanish poster artist.
He began his career in 1938 with the portrait of Gary Cooper, which reminds us that movie posters, not only had to collect in an image the content of the film, but the drawings of the actors and actresses had to be recognized by an audience that adored their stars.
Gary Cooper: charcoal and grease pencil on paper.
The first movie poster, Jano created for Jorge Negrete's film ¡Ay Jalisco, no te rajes! (1947). A gaucho lithograph on paper. Gauche is a paint similar to watercolor, water-based, but more consistent and opaque.
Lithography (1947).
The film posters are in the usual 100 x 70 format, although there are larger ones 140 x 100, two-sheet, and three-sheet 210 x 100. A good collection of each size can be seen in the exhibition.
Stages of work
Starting material: a synopsis of the film, black and white shooting photos, then several sketches and the film's distributor chose the ones to be used for the film's posters.
During the time when the designs were worked lithographically, they had to be the same size as the 100 x 70 edition.
The textured paper was mounted on a board reinforced with a frame, which was placed directly on the studio wall. Then, the idea of the poster was transferred to the support with the help of a grid in order to maintain the original proportions.
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Flower in the Shadow. Sketches for the poster of the fictitious film that appears in El Sur (Victor Erice, 1983).
Graphite on paper // graphite and ink on paper // watercolor, gouache and ink on paper.
Movie posters
Watercolor, gouache, colored pencils and photographic paper on paper (1973).
Watercolor, gouache and ink on paper (1973)
Watercolor, gouache, photography and reticule on paper (1978)
Watercolor and gouache on paper (1972)
Lithography (1973)
Lithography (1960)
Poster designs; watercolor, goauche, colored pencils and letraset on paper // ink and photographic paper on paper (1975).
Exhibition catalog / Source of text information
Banner edited with Canva pro and cropped with ezgif.com.
Avatar created with IA Ideogram.
Translated with Deepl into English from my native language Spanish.
All photos taken with the camera of my Xiaomi 14 cell phone and edited with GIMP.
Posted Using InLeo Alpha
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STOPA great artist you share today @enraizar. I liked the way things were done better before, all the posters you share look amazing 🙌.
Thanks @vezo for the support, and I'm so glad you like this sample of jano's work.
I enjoyed this time travel so much, that on the way out I asked for the exhibition catalog, which was not for sale. So much so that a woman who was attending to the visitors gave me one as a gift on the way out.
First she asked me: did you like it very much? and I answered something like “very much”, I must have had puppy eyes and asked her if they had the catalog. She disappeared from my sight for a moment and came back with the catalog in her hand.
I can't say for sure that the old stuff is better, but creations like these I'm sure they won't come back.
And here comes the announcement. I am lucky to live in Madrid, where I have three exhibition centers that I love, so I will continue to share on Hive. In addition, I will publish in this community, where I have the feeling of publishing in an exclusive space, as well as a jazz club, reserved for a few Hivers.
A big hug.
You can't talk about cinema in Spain without mentioning this talented artist. Many of those posters were known to me, others I have enjoyed them for the first time thanks to your post. Thank you for bringing us closer to this wonderful exhibition. ❤️
Many thanks to you Paloma for your visit. I don't know if you have seen that the exhibition catalog link is at the end of the post. If you haven't seen it yet, when you have time to take a look at it, you will surely find more surprises.
❤️
Oh, thanks for the advice, I’ll look into it for sure. 🤗
Wooo OwO
!HUESO
Click on this banner, to be directed to the Virtual World Discord and learn more about the curation project.
!PGM
Gracias Mistico 🤗
What a great artist! And what great posters, I love the illustrations especially of cinema, films. Rafael's poster is super cool!
And this one is my favourite! Thank you so much @enraizar ! Good night!!
Good morning @avdesing , since you comment about Raphael, I will tell you that it is not a coincidence that he is prominently placed in the publication. I love Raphael.
You put the matte, I put the buns.
hahaha well I didn't like the music, but the poster was very well done!!!! Woww you really like Raphael!!!!!
Good morning!😂
Buenos días, y es muy cierto que el jovencito Raphael me encanta😊
Gracias, es lo que necesitaba, 😃.
Qué el día sea excelente, (está formulado como deseo, pero es una seguridad, no puede ser de otra manera). 😎
Para mi tereré!! Mate helado jajaja, será un día genial, lo sé y que lo sea para el mundo entero! Ojo con los monos 🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 hasta luego!!!!
Ah, what a great outing. It's always a pleasure to go hand in hand with you on a date with art. 😉
I really enjoy the art of poster design.
Good morning ☕.
I loved the exhibition and I love going with my friends, I'm already preparing new visits, get ready!!!!
I'll tell you something, I didn't say in the post, how I miss La Gran Via full of those huge posters with the premiere movies! 🥺 Now Zara, Benneton, etc. take their place. 😕
Hug!
☕😵💫😅 leche con chocolate para poder dormir después, por fa.
Gracias. Estaremos pendientes de estos súper paseos.
Y sí, imagino que la cartelística actual es aburrida.😄
😅 Despierta?, acabo de leer que todavía no tienes alas, estás segura?
Y Hablando de paseos, esta tarde me llevan de la mano a otra exposición...
Felices sueños.
😶🌫️
Estoy teniendo problemas para dormir. Qué raro. Me obligaré y ya.
Que la disfrutes...
Gracias. 😇
Ya te comentaré...
Y ahí va la taza de chocolate con leche
👌🏻
Hasta luego. Jaja... Esta tiene hasta un pajarito cantando arrurrú 😅. Gracias. 👋🏻
Hasta luego.
Hola, 👋🏻
Cómo te sientes. ¿Mejor? Me he quedado preocupada.
Espero que sí, que ya estés enraizando por aquí y por allí, con tu alegría y bondad.
🤗
Hola, voy mejor. Cuando publiqué lo peor (o mejor) estaba por llegar. Ayer lo pasé mál. Hoy me siento cansado, supongo que por la pérdida de minerales y la deshidratación, Pero basatente mejor.
Me hadado tiempo para pensar en temas que tengo pendientes, y he soñado con números. el 444 (puede que sea el 4444), te suena? también me han visitado (soñado?) personas fallecidas.
Creo que empieza septiembre y, profesionalmente no es septiembre cualquiera. Pienso que me estoy ajustando física y mentalmente a lo que tiene que llegar...
Muchas gracias por estar ahí, en un ratito te visito.
Un abrazo muy grande @nanixxx
No me creerás si te digo que ayer estaba yo así, muuuy mala, malísima. No era algo del estómago, pero repercutía en el estómago. El cuerpo se está desintoxicando de todo el estrés aquel que tenía acumulado antes de dar el paso.
Me sentía ahogada, agobiada, molesta desde hacía tiempo. Ahora estoy tan tranquila... no tengo aquello que tenía que pensaba que me daba seguridad, de hecho no tengo nada ahora. Me tengo a mí. Pero también me doy cuenta de que lo que pensaba que tenía era solo una ilusión. Aquello, como te comenté, era una migaja que acepté por mucho-demasiado tiempo. No representaba nada en mi vida ya. Espero aprender bien esa lección.
Me sentía mala... sigamos con ese cuento, ja, pero no dejé de comer y beber agua. Y a las 8 de la noche, así como estaba, viendo doble, mareada, me dije: debo publicar un post, para no perder el ritmo, además es parte de mi vida, es mi historia. Quizás en ese estado de creación encuentre más respuestas.
;)
Así que me alegró haber sabido de ti hoy, sentirte mejor, con ánimo y mirando hacia adelante, y también me alegró mucho tener esta pequeña conversación. Un abrazo. No dejes de alimentarte y beber agua.
No estoy tan lúcido, ahora como para comentar lo que me ocurrió ayer...no te lo creerás (o sí) ... Pero me resuena tanto lo que me dices...
Gracias
I find those by Libertad Lamarque and Sara Montiel fascinating, undoubtedly all pop art gems. Jano is great (I still don't know if the experiment has worked, I'll tell you tomorrow, I'm still waiting).
!PIMP
Good morning @manclar, good selection to which I add the poster of "El Cebo", although the poster is not seen in its entirety, I find it magnificent.
A big hug.
Good morning @enraizar (what's your thing about saying good morning, psychotherapy topics hahaha), share the one with the bait, so you feel happy.
Note: the experiment has been a success, I just checked it at this moment.
Good morning @manclar 👋🤣. Ya me dirás algo, ahora me voy de exposición 😄.
Yes, then when we talk, there is new and not at all encouraging news...they put a new censorship mechanism through WhatsApp in the country...to monitor us, you can't even speak freely there anymore...anyway, what a fucking disgusting man.
That is a body that will be in charge of monitoring everything you say on WhatsApp, it is a new official decree that the government launched this past Tuesday....tocate los cojones...
disfruta tu exposicion, me voy a pensar en el post de hoy, que no se si sera pixel art (probablemente si) o que.
Wow, qué post tan interesante y visual @enraizar, definitivamente cada cartel es una ventana a una época y a los sueños que definieron el séptimo arte 🤩... excelente. Saludos!
Muchas gracias mi estimada @helicreamarket, tienes toda la razón cuando ubicas la publicación en un tiempo de sueños y gran cine.
Un abrazo muy grande.
Childhood and memories go together and I can just imagine young and curious @enraizar gawking at those movie posters through the window, as the bus sped past, I would do the same my friend.
Jano is indeed the mould Masterpieces are made of!
Hugs ❤️
Fortunately for me, the bus was going slowly, stopping every now and then at the appropriate stop. And the major rooting, still keeps the curiosity burning. I'm glad you enjoyed the exhibition, for me Jano is a master, of the old school, a type of craftsman that in the West can no longer be repeated.
Hugs ❤️
jjejejej, yo llegué mucho después jjjeee, parecen muy recientes las fotos jjjeee, son lindas
Cheguei atrasada , porém fascinante todas essas imagens,tantas figuras conhecidas o rei Elvis,a maravilhosa Mary, mais eu mim apaixonei pelo soldado azul, aquela imagem da índia com as mãos amarradas de joelhos como se estivesse observando um filme é hipnotizante 🌹
Obrigado, amigo, por sua visita e comentário. Quando estive na exposição, também reparei no pôster do Elvis, é uma maravilha.
Com os melhores cumprimentos.
Fantástico o Elvis trocar o microfone por uma pistola,sem contar que deu um zoom nas mãos do Elvis parece as armas antigas dos filmes de Bang Bang que eu amo🌹 com certeza esse seu trabalho foi excelente
Mais uma vez, muito obrigado por seu comentário. Eu me diverti muito na exposição. Eu lhe “presenteio” com uma imagem que não está na publicação.
Hello @enraizar.
Exquisite exhibition, I imagine it was part of your vacation. As I looked at the posters I searched my memories, but none of them were specific. Only the names and familiar faces of the artists and although I have seen some of them, the posters, the first time and despite this, seem familiar to me, I relate them to illustrated books from my childhood, although I only remember two names of cinemas: Ciudad Lineal and Covadonga. Surely the closest to my neighborhood. And from my father's endless stories, the Palacio de las Pipas, although I no longer remember the real name of that historic room.
Until next time and as always another hug.
Hello my dear @felixmarranz. By the Covadonga “El Covacha”, I stopped a lot in my youth, watching many double bills with old movies. And it is certainly a cinema that brings back very good memories. As you refer to the book covers I leave you one of Jano, which was in the exhibition.
A big hug.
AAAAhhhh buen viaje e fotos mijo.... me gustó la de Elvis,,,jjejjej, por cierto ninca he visto una peli de Elvis, ....no me digas que no existen, jjee
😁 creo existen, jajaja
Wow wow tenía pendiente comentarte este post @enraizar jeje pero es que entre una cosa y la otra más temas del país, se van acumulando los "voy a hacer"...
Y qué gran post 💗!, en lo personal me encanta cómo la ciencia ficción nos prepara para futuros apocalípticos (porque, ya sabes, no tenemos suficientes problemas en nuestro día a día jeje) 😂
Excelente y divertido a su manera amigo 🙌... Saludos!
PD: no me habia dado cuenta de que ya comenté xD... se ve que estoy lokis jajaja
Lo que se ve es que estás muy liada, feliz domingo @helicreamarket.
Great look at this artist and his work. I recognize some of the movies like Roman Holiday and Billy the Kid. Very cool.
Thank you very much for the visit, I have pending to bring some new exhibition. I hope you like it too.
Greetings.