Roman Holiday / Vacanze Romane (1953)
A stunning Italian release poster for William Wyler’s Roman Holiday, the film that introduced Audrey Hepburn to the world and earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress. Paired with Gregory Peck against the romantic backdrop of Rome, Hepburn’s luminous performance set the stage for her to become one of cinema’s most beloved stars.
The artwork is by Ercole Brini, one of Italy’s greatest post-war poster artists, renowned for his painterly style and delicate use of watercolours. Brini was renowned for elevating commercial film posters into fine art, and his portraits of Hepburn are among the most celebrated in his career. This poster, with its vivid painterly style, captures the elegance and carefree charm of the film’s story namely a princess escaping her duties to experience life, love, and freedom in the Eternal City.
As with all authentic posters of the era, this was theatre-used: printed in 1953 solely to promote Vacanze Romane in Italian cinemas. Posters were never intended to be archived or collected; once the film’s run ended, most were discarded to make way for new titles. The survival of this example, in such superb condition, makes it an exceptionally rare artefact!
Prior to conservation linen-backing, this poster was in superb folded-as-issued condition.
- Year: 1953
- Nationality: Italian
- Condition: Linen-Backed
- Type: Original 4 Foglio
- Size: 55 X 79 Inches
- Product Code: T6149
