Vintage Polish Poster | Dziady | Czerniawski

Dziady (translated as Forefathers’ Eve) is a term in Slavic folklore for the spirits of the ancestors and a collection of pre-Christian rites, rituals and customs that were dedicated to them. This poster is based upon “Dziady”, a poetic drama by the Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz. It is considered one of the greatest works of both Polish and European Romanticism. Dziady was a supreme realization of Romantic drama theory, to be ranked with such works as Goethe‘s Faust and Byron‘s Manfred. The poster artist Jerzy Czerniawski, born in Poland in 1947, is a distinguished artist known for his impactful contributions to graphic design, illustration, stage design, and painting. He studied at the State College of Plastic Arts in Wroclaw and emerged as a significant figure during the Polish counterculture movement of the 1970s. Czerniawski’s work has been showcased in prestigious venues, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. His accolades include the Bronze Medal at the International Poster Biennial in Warsaw (1974), second prize at the Poster Biennial in Lahti (1977), and the Silver Plaque at the International Film Festival in Chicago (1981). His posters are celebrated globally, held in major museum collections and private collections alike, underscoring his lasting influence on contemporary poster art.