Vintage Posters | La Traviata | Olbinski

Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata” is a timeless masterpiece of opera that tells the poignant and tragic story of Violetta Valéry, a Parisian courtesan who falls deeply in love with Alfredo Germont. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century Paris, the opera explores themes of love, sacrifice, and societal judgment. Violetta’s passionate romance with Alfredo is thwarted by societal pressures and familial obligations, leading to a heartbreaking conclusion. Verdi’s exquisite score, featuring some of the most beautiful arias and duets in the operatic repertoire, underscores the emotional intensity and dramatic depth of the narrative, making “La Traviata” a beloved and enduring work in the world of opera. This poster was created by Rafał Olbinski, born in 1943, a Polish artist living in the United States. He is considered one of the major representatives of the Polish School of Posters. Olbinski’s work is very similar to the work of the famous Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte; Olbinski describes his approach to painting and illustrating as “poetic surrealism”. Olbinski’s works are included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Carnegie Foundation (New York), the Smithsonian Institute and the Library of Congress (Washington, DC), the Poster Museum (Warsaw), and others throughout Europe and the United States.