HANNA BODNAR
1929 - 2001
Hanna Bodnar was born in Warsaw in 1929 and studied at the Faculty of Graphics of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, from 1945-1955, where she graduated with honours from the studio of professor Jozef Mroszczak.
Over her career Bodnar worked with various publishers to produce at least 118 film posters between 1958 and 1980, including lots of beautifully coloured children’s film posters and the rare and iconic ‘Sleeping Beauty’. During the 1950s she also designed political posters.
Bodnar took part in many national and international exhibitions. winning the auspicious Grand Prix of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in Versailles, 1962. Despite this there is very little written about Hanna Bodnar. We are determined to find out more!
*This photo was taken outside the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw for Polska magazine in 1968. Hanna Bodnar is middle row, far right, dressed in grey.
• Shop Hanna Bodnar
This charming vintage Polish poster was Hanna Bodnar’s last poster design from 1980 for the American and British production ‘Crossed Swords’ (The Prince and the Pauper/Ksiaze i Zebrak). The film, adapted from Mark Twain's classic tale, follows a prince and a beggar boy who swap clothes and identities in medieval England; it was directed by Richard Fleischer and features performances by Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison, Mark Lester, Raquel Welch and Oliver Reed.
Polish B1 size: 67 x 95 cm
Condition: previously folded.
This original 1977 children’s Polish film poster is another magical example of female artist Hanna Bodnar and her illustrative style. Bodnar designed this beautiful poster for a Polish animated film ‘Christmas Adventures of The Gnomes’ (Swiateczne Przygody Skrzatow).
Polish A1 size: 47 x 66 cm
Condition: please note the poster was previously folded and has some minor tears which have been carefully repaired.
This is a striking rare poster by Hanna Bodnar from 1959, designed for a 1958 Soviet film ‘Corka Kapitana’ (The Captain’s Daughter).
Polish A1 size: 58 × 85 cm
Please note: It has a few little tears around the edges but overall is in good condition for its age.
Another cutie from 1973 by Hanna Bodnar for a Bulgarian film ‘Little Tiger’ (Tygrysiatko).
Polish A1 size: 57.5 x 83 cm
Condition: please note there are some small tears to the edges of the poster.
This beautifully composed illustrative vintage Polish poster by Hanna Bodnar is a bit of a classic. She designed it for a series of animated childen’s shorts ‘Agnieszka Opowiada Bajke’ (Agnes Tells a Fairytale) back in 1977.
Polish A1 size: 59 x 83 cm
Condition: Sadly there’s a tiny bit missing in the left hand side bottom corner but it’s such a cutie.
This original 1977 children’s Polish film poster is another magical example of female artist Hanna Bodnar and her illustrative style. The film was based on the long running and much loved TV series ‘Reksio’ (Reksio the Grower/Reksio Sadownik)
Polish A1 size: 58 x 81.5 cm
This is a really rare Polish poster and wonderful early example of Hanna Bodnar’s work. She designed it in 1959 for a film ‘Cudze Dzieci’ (Stepchildren) made in Georgia (which was part of the Soviet Union at that time).
Polish A1 size: 61 x 86.5 cm
We just adore Hanna Bodnar and the ‘man with the bun’ as Sylwia likes to call him. Hanna Bodnar designed this quirky Polish poster in 1974 for a Yugoslavian film ‘Deps’.
Polish A1 size: 61 x 85.5 cm
Gorgeous sixties vibes with this vintage Polish film poster ‘Intrygantki’ (Schemers/Five Girls Around the Neck) designed in 1967 by Hannah Bodnar for a Czech movie ‘Pět Holek na Krku’.
Polish A1 size: 59 x 84.5 cm
Condition: Good with some minor repairs.
Here’s one beautiful example of Hanna Bodnar’s style. She created this vintage Polish poster in 1968 for a Mexican film called ‘Jezioro Flamingow’ (Little Boy Blue).
Polish A1 size: 59 x 83 cm
Super charming illustrative vintage Polish poster from 1975 ‘Reksio Wybawca’, designed by Hanna Bodnar for animated feature of classic children’s Polish TV series, starring Reksio the Dog, directed by Roman Klys.
Polish A1 size: 57 x 80.5 cm
Utterly charming illustrative Polish poster by Hanna Bodnar for a 1978 children’s film ‘Reksio Kompan’ (Reksio the Comrade) based on a much loved Polish children’s TV series which ran from 1960s-1990s.
Polish A1 size: 58 x 81.5 cm
Condition: Please note this copy of Reksio has been previously folded. There are also some tears and creasing.
This is a such a sweet Hanna Bodnar’s Reksio Teacher for a kid’s bedroom. It’s an original 1977 vintage Polish poster from the original 11,500 print run for an animated feature film of long running and much loved Polish children’s TV series “Reksio”.
Polish A1 size: 58 x 83 cm
We love this beautiful illustrative poster by Hanna Bodnar, for classic British film Jabberwocky, directed by Terry Gilliam, and starring the legend that is Michael Palin.
Polish B1 size: 68.5 x 98 cm
Here’s another beautiful example of Hanna Bodnar’s style. She created this Polish poster in 1976 for an English film called ‘The Romantic Englishwoman’ (Romantyczna Angielka) starring Glenda Jackson, Helmut Berger and Michael Caine.
Polish A1 size: 58 x 81 cm
This beautiful vintage Polish film poster was designed in 1960 by Hannah Bodnar for a Soviet movie ‘O Moim Przyjacielu’ (About My Friend).
Polish A1 size: 82 x 58 cm
Condition: Please note there is a small part of paper missing and you can also see some ink come through the paper from a stamp.