Gitanes – Javier Mariscal – 1991 – Original French Serigraph Poster
Original large-format French advertising poster created in 1991 by celebrated Spanish artist and designer Javier Mariscal for Gitanes, the iconic French cigarette brand. This spectacular composition features a stylized blue female figure dancing against a brilliant orange-red background, holding a tambourine high above her head. The energetic figure, rendered in Mariscal’s distinctive expressive style, combines elements of Spanish flamenco, modern illustration, and contemporary graphic design.
The striking composition uses brilliant electric blue, vivid orange, turquoise, and deep green, creating a dramatic contrast characteristic of Mariscal’s playful and unconventional artistic approach. In the background, a smaller dancing figure and an animal silhouette add a whimsical narrative element, while the boldly hand-lettered Gitanes name anchors the composition.
Javier Mariscal (born 1950 in Valencia, Spain) is an internationally acclaimed artist and designer whose work encompasses illustration, furniture, architecture, animation, and graphic design. He achieved worldwide recognition for creating Cobi, the official mascot of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. His distinctive visual language, characterized by spontaneous drawing, vibrant colors, and playful distortions, made him one of the most influential Spanish designers of the late twentieth century.
The Gitanes brand has a long tradition of commissioning original artwork from prominent international artists, including Raymond Savignac, Bernard Villemot, Andre Francois, and other celebrated illustrators. Mariscal’s interpretation transforms the familiar dancing female figure associated with Gitanes into a dynamic, almost abstract composition filled with movement and Mediterranean character.
Beautifully printed in serigraphy by Michel Caza in France, this impressive poster features richly saturated colors and the distinctive surface quality of traditional silkscreen printing. Produced on heavyweight paper, this is an original 1991 printing, not a later reproduction.
Title: Gitanes
Artist: Javier Mariscal (born 1950)
Printer: Michel Caza, France
Year: 1991
Size: 39 x 55 inches (99 x 140 cm)
Technique: Original Color Serigraph (Silkscreen)
Linen: Unlined, printed on heavyweight paper
Condition: Excellent (A)
