THE CONFORMIST

Italian 4-Fogli (54" x 77")
Very Fine on Linen; Artwork by Piero Eramo Aiai
CIC, 1970

A renowned Italian artist with a prolific body of work from the early sixties to the late eighties, Piero Ermanno Iaia illustrated book covers, television advertisements, articles in Playboy, and, most famously, a veritable slew of movie posters. One of the most popular of his many film posters through the years has been this dramatic illustration of Bernardo Bertolucci's wartime drama The Conformist, and rightfully so. Iaia's skillful use of rough brushwork with an overlay of penciled crosshatching makes for a fitting counterpart to the film's complicated protagonist as he shifts from scene to scene in his futile search for normalcy.

The selvage linen has staple marks on every inch. There are minor touch-ups to the cross-fold points. The poster is unaffected in any way.

The Conformist is a noir thriller directed by Bernardo Bertolucci and stars Jean-Louis Trintignant, Dominique Sanda, and Stefania Sandrelli. A milquetoast becomes a Fascist and sets out to murder a former professor who is a political dissident. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

This lot will be auctioned on Thursday, April 18th. The auction will begin at 9:30am PST and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on April 19th.