CAPTION PRINTED BELOW PICTURE: SOLIDARNOŚĆ - W samo południe - 4 czerwca 1989 [Solidarity - It's High Noon - June 4th 1989] (Atlas de la France Vinicole L. Larmat)
It was a Sunday morning in 1989 and Gary Cooper was all over Warsaw. Nearly 10,000 posters, which had arrived late the previous evening from the trade union printing house in Italy, by daybreak were pasted across the capital on walls and the sides of buses as they left their depots. The message – after 44 years of one party Communist rule was “High Noon” – time to decide - and the image was of the marshal from the 1952 Western of that name. This poster is an iconic image of the fall of Communism in Europe. It has been exhibited by the V&A as one of the “100 most important posters of the 20th century”. It heralded the first democratic elections – and elected government - in Eastern Europe since World War 2, and it represents the election as the moment when the Communist Party will be brought to justice. It urged the electorate to free itself from the yoke of Communism by voting for the Solidarity Trade Union. The pistol that Gary Cooper had carried in the movie is replaced on the poster by the ballot paper, metaphorically identifying an impending change from rule by force to rule by ballot box. Tomasz Sarnecki, then a third-year student of graphics at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw refused payment for his most important work. Most of the posters, having been pasted in place as typical of most election posters, were torn down and destroyed afterwards. It is considered the last great work of the Polish Poster School. The Museum of Modern Art New York holds an example of this poster in its collection.
DATE PRINTED: 1989
IMAGE SIZE: Approx 70.0 x 100.0cm, 27.5 x 39.5 inches (Large); Please note that this is a folding print.

TYPE: An original 1989 Polish pro-democracy election poster. Colour offset lithography
CONDITION: Good; suitable for framing. The image shown may have been taken from a different example of this print than that which is offered for sale. The print you will receive is in good condition but there may be minor variations in the condition from that shown in the image. The poster has a closed tear which has been professionally and neatly repaired. The tear extends from the lower edge through the bottom title. Please see image of reverse side. Please check the scan for any blemishes prior to making your purchase. Please contact us if you would like to arrange to view this print. Virtually all antiquarian maps and prints are subject to some normal aging due to use and time which is not obtrusive unless otherwise stated. We offer a no questions asked return policy.
AUTHENTICITY: This is an authentic historic print, published at the date stated above. It is not a modern copy.
VERSO: There is nothing printed on the reverse side, which is plain
FOLDING: This is a folding print.
ARTIST/CARTOGRAPHER/ENGRAVER: Tomasz Sarnecki
PROVENANCE: Solidarity independent trade union & political party, Poland

Reserve: $3,725.00

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