Cieslewicz Wscieklica Poster - Original 1979 Polish Theater Art

Specifications
Artist / Designer: Roman Cieślewicz (Polish, 1930–1996)
Playwright: Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (Witkacy)
Printer: WDA-offset (Warszawska Drukarnia Akcydensowa, Warsaw, Poland)
Official Printing Order: Zam. 1561
Edition Size: 4,500 copies (Nakład 4.500)
Year of Print: 1979
Type: Original Polish School of Posters Theater Graphic
Dimensions: B1 format, c. 67x97 cm (27x39 inches)
Condition: Vintage state, vibrant color contrast
 
Description (About the Artwork)
This original 1979 vintage print is a verified Cieslewicz Wscieklica poster, commissioned for a major theatrical staging of Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz’s (Witkacy) avant-garde play J.M.K. Wścieklica at the historic Teatr Mały in Warsaw. Printed as an authentic offset by the famous WDA-offset workshop in Warsaw, this documented piece bears the official archival printing identifiers "Zam. 1561" and notes a highly limited historical print run of only 4,500 copies ("Nakład 4.500") along the lower left margin. Designed by the world-renowned graphic icon Roman Cieślewicz, the artwork presents a masterclass in psychological photomontage, juxtaposing a high-contrast profile with an exploding cluster of vibrant, multi-colored skulls. This rare B1 format lithograph is a definitive milestone of late 20th-century cultural graphic design.
 
About the Designer
Roman Cieślewicz (1930–1996) was a towering figure in international avant-garde art and one of the core pioneers of the Polish Poster School. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, Cieślewicz moved to Paris in 1963, where he served as an art director for prestigious fashion and cultural publications, including Vogue and Elle. Fusing post-war surrealism, conceptual collage, and high-impact photography, his experimental layout systems redefined Western editorial design. His works reside in permanent collections across the globe, notably at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.