Above: a 1973 UK quad poster for Andrei Rublev (1966), artist unknown.
It’s hard to say exactly when the 50th anniversary of Andrei Rublev should be celebrated. Andrei Tarkovsky’s biopic of the great 15th century Russian icon painter—originally titled The Passion According to Andrei—had initially been proposed to Mosfilm in 1961, took 4 years to get off the ground, and spent five years in bureaucratic limbo until it was finally released in the USSR in 1971. 50 years ago, in May 1965, Tarkovsky was a month into the year-long filming of his magnum opus.
As befits one of the great films about an artist and about artistic creation (although we almost never see Rublev at work in the film), Tarkovsky’s film has inspired many a great poster artist over the years. On the occasion of this tentative anniversary and also of a rare 35mm showing of the film at BAM this month, I thought I would take the opportunity to gather up the best international designs for the film.
Above: a Russian poster, date unknown.
Above: a 1988 re-release Russian poster.
Above: a 1973 Polish poster by Jakub Erol (b. 1941).
Above: a 2010 Polish poster by Andrzej Klimowski (b. 1949).
Above: a Czech poster by Jan Kratochvil.
Above: A 1987 Czech poster by Karel Teissig (1925-2000).
Above: a 1973 East German poster.
Above: a 1988 East German poster.
Above: a French poster.
Above: a Japanese poster.
Above: a Swiss poster.
Above: a 1974 Cuban poster by Antonio Fernadez Reboiro.
Andrei Rublev screens in 35mm at BAMcinématek in Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday May 31 as part of their Black & White ’Scope: International Cinema series.
Many thanks to Posteritati, Heritage Auctions and KinoArt.net.