Waldemar Swierzy
1931 - 2013
Waldemar Swierzy was born in 1931 in Katowice. He learnt his art at the University of Kracow under the incredible graphic artist and teacher Jozef Mroszczak, and the painting professor Rafal Pomorski, graduating in 1952. Many of Waldemar Swierzy’s poster designs have a distinct painterly style.
He was persuaded to move to Warsaw by Jozef Mroszczak who was appointed head of graphics at the WAG publishing house. This was one of the first organisations Waldemar Swierzy was commissioned to produce posters for. Over the course of his career he created around 1000 published poster works and was the most prolific artist from the Polish School of Posters.
Swierzy also taught graphics and poster design; as Head of Graphics at the School of Fine Arts in Poznan and Head of the Poster Studio at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. He also lectured in Mexico and Germany. Waldemar Swierzy worked on the jury at many international poster exhibitions and competitions and won many awards of his own. In 1997 he was appointed Honorary Professor of the Jan Matejko Fine Arts Academy in Krakow.
Swierzy loved painting portraits and his series of great jazz musicians were hugely popular and bought him international fame. He also designed over 250 album sleeves. Waldemar Swierzy’s iconic 1973 poster design for the acclaimed US movie ‘Midnight Cowboy’ has become one of the most sought after and valuable Polish posters of all time and secured him as a legend of poster design.
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This is a beautiful 1964 Polish poster design created by Waldemar Swierzy for Polish release of The Beatles film ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ (The Beatles i Dwanascie Piosenek), directed by Richard Lester.
Size: 28 x 36 cm
Condition: small signs of wear around the edges.
This iconic vintage original Circus Lion Couple Polish poster was designed by Waldemar Swierzy in 1975 and is available in a very rare miniature size.
Size: 16.5 x 24 cm
Waldemar Swierzy designed this beautiful Polish poster to promote the Exhibition of the Cuban Poster at the Poster Museum in Wilanow in 1971.
Polish A1 size: 67 x 97.5 cm
This striking 1980 Polish poster by Waldemar Swierzy for ‘Apocalypse Now’ (Czas Apokalipsy) is a bold and powerful visual statement on morality, madness, and the horrors of war.
Condition: Please note this poster has been carefully restored (by our super lovely restoration lady in Poland) so there are very minor creases to the paper.
Polish B1 size: 67.5 x 97 cm
This wonderful Polish theatre poster for ‘The Spanish Hour’ play was designed in 1966 by Waldemar Swierzy. ‘L'heure Espagnole’ was based on Franc-Nohain's 1904 play of the same name.
Polish B1 size: 68 × 97.5 cm
This is a wonderful vintage Polish theatre poster, designed by the legendary Polish poster artist Waldemar Swierzy, for “The Lady from Maxim’s” (Dama od Maxima) written by Georges Feydeau. She’s from the original 1979 print run and in beautiful condition. We think she’s sublime and we’re not the only ones… she’s held in the collections of the V&A Museum and the Stedelijk Museum.
Polish B1 size: 68 x 98 cm
This is an official authorised reprint from Poland in a super cute half size. It’s such a gorgeous design by legendary artist Waldemar Swierzy for the Traditional Polish Folk Art organisation Cepelia. It’s called Flowers for Warsaw (Kwiaty dla Warszawy).
Polish B2 size: 50 x 70 cm
This design has been reprinted by Waldemar Swierzy’s estate. They use the highest quality digital printer on heavy 230 gsm paper to achieve the closest possible replication of the original vintage poster.
This is an official authorised reprint from Poland in a super cute half size. It’s such a gorgeous design by legendary artist Waldemar Swierzy for a festival of folk bands as part of the Masovian Culture Spring (Mazowiecka Wiosna Kulturalna) in 1967.
Polish B2 size: 50 x 70 cm
This design has been reprinted by Waldemar Swierzy’s estate. They use the highest quality digital printer on heavy 230 gsm paper to achieve the closest possible replication of the original vintage poster.
This is an official authorised reprint from Poland in a super cute half size. It’s such a gorgeous retro flower power design by legendary artist Waldemar Swierzy, originally printed in 1969 for the film ‘Toast’.
Polish B2 size: 50 x 70 cm
This design has been reprinted by Waldemar Swierzy’s estate. They use the highest quality digital printer on heavy 230 gsm paper to achieve the closest possible replication of the original vintage poster.
This is an official authorised reprint from Poland in a super cute half size. It’s a very charming tourist poster for the land of ten thousand lakes in the Masuria region designed by legendary artist Waldemar Swierzy in 1960s.
Polish B2 size: 50 x 70 cm
This design has been reprinted by Waldemar Swierzy’s estate. They use the highest quality digital printer on heavy 230 gsm paper to achieve the closest possible replication of the original vintage poster.
This is an official authorised reprint from Poland in a super cute half size. It’s a very cool film poster originally designed by legendary artist Waldemar Swierzy in 1971 for the hit musical ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’.
Polish B2 size: 50 x 70 cm
This design has been reprinted by Waldemar Swierzy’s estate. They use the highest quality digital printer on heavy 230 gsm paper to achieve the closest possible replication of the original vintage poster.
This is an official authorised reprint from Poland in a super cute half size. It’s a beautifully designed poster by legendary artist Waldemar Swierzy to promote the velodrome cycling track in Warsaw. It was originally printed in 1972.
Polish B2 size: 50 x 70 cm
This design has been reprinted by Waldemar Swierzy’s estate. They use the highest quality digital printer on heavy 230 gsm paper to achieve the closest possible replication of the original vintage poster.
This is an official authorised reprint from Poland in a super cute half size. It’s such a cool music poster of Jimi Hendrix originally designed by legendary artist Waldemar Swierzy in 1973. We just adore the bright psychedelic pops of colour on this otherwise masterfully pared back design.
Polish B2 size: 50 x 70 cm
This design has been reprinted by Waldemar Swierzy’s estate. They use the highest quality digital printer on heavy 230 gsm paper to achieve the closest possible replication of the original vintage poster.
This is an official authorised reprint from Poland in a super cute half size. It’s a beautifully designed poster by legendary artist Waldemar Swierzy to promote the zoo in Warsaw. It was originally printed in 1979. We love this cute design for a kid’s bedroom.
Polish B2 size: 50 x 70 cm
This design has been reprinted by Waldemar Swierzy’s estate. They use the highest quality digital printer on heavy 230 gsm paper to achieve the closest possible replication of the original vintage poster.
This is an official authorised reprint from Poland in a super cute half size. It’s a really fun and iconic design for Superman III by legendary artist Waldemar Swierzy. It was originally printed in 1985 for the film’s Polish cinema release.
Polish B2 size: 50 x 70 cm
This design has been reprinted by Waldemar Swierzy’s estate. They use the highest quality digital printer on heavy 230 gsm paper to achieve the closest possible replication of the original vintage poster.
Limited Edition Reprint
This is an official 2020 limited edition reprint of the classic vintage Polish film poster from 1957 for Sunset Boulevard designed by Waldemar Swierzy. It was produced in Poland with full authorisation from the artist’s family.
Polish A1 size: 57.5 x 84.5 cm
Note from the printing house in Poland: “Our offset prints are made on matte paper similar to the original. We keep the poster formats from the period, we try to faithfully reproduce the colours of old prints. Small editions, limited to 500 copies, respect all copyrights belonging to the graphic artists or their heirs.”
This is an official limited edition reprint from Poland of the 1958 film poster designed by Waldemar Swierzy for "Une Parisienne/ La Parisienne" (The Parisienne) - a 1957 French/Italian production starring Brigitte Bardot, Charles Boyer and Henri Vidal.
Polish A1 size: 58 x 82 cm
Note from the printing house in Poland: “Our offset prints are made on matte paper similar to the original. We keep the poster formats from the period, we try to faithfully reproduce the colours of old prints. Small editions, limited to 500 copies, respect all copyrights belonging to the graphic artists or their heirs.”
This is a modern limited edition reprint of the 1967 Polish advertising poster ‘Visit the Zoo’ (Zwiedzajcie Zoo - Flamingos) by Waldemar Swierzy. It has been reprinted in Poland with kind permission from Swierzy's family.
Polish B1 size: 67 x 97 cm
Note from the printing house in Poland: “Our offset prints are made on matte paper similar to the original. We keep the poster formats from the period, we try to faithfully reproduce the colours of old prints. Small editions, limited to 500 copies, respect all copyrights belonging to the graphic artists or their heirs.”
This is an official limited edition reprint from Poland of the 1976 poster designed by Waldemar Swierzy for Jazz Jamboree - the 19th International Jazz Festival. Super cool isn’t it.
Polish B1 size: 69 x 95.5 cm
Note from the printing house in Poland: “Our offset prints are made on matte paper similar to the original. We keep the poster formats from the period, we try to faithfully reproduce the colours of old prints. Small editions, limited to 500 copies, respect all copyrights belonging to the graphic artists or their heirs.”
Legendary Polish artist Waldemar Swierzy designed this breath-taking film poster for the rerelease of Michelangelo Antonioni’s atmospheric sixties crime thriller 'Blow-up' in 1987.
The contemporary abstract graphics Swierzy uses to depict a woman's face are a wonderful reimagining of the (equally collectible) 1966 poster he designed for the film's first release.
This is a modern limited edition, reprinted in Poland with kind permission from Waldemar Swierzy's family.
Polish B1 size: 67 × 94 cm
Note from the printing house in Poland: “Our offset prints are made on matte paper similar to the original. We keep the poster formats from the period, we try to faithfully reproduce the colours of old prints. Small editions, limited to 500 copies, respect all copyrights belonging to the graphic artists or their heirs.”
This beautiful and sweet vintage Polish poster was designed in 1978 by Waldemar Swierzy for the release of the ‘Across the Great Divide’ (Przez Gory Skaliste). The US film was directed by Stewart Raffill starring George ‘Buck’ Flower, Stan Cowley and Heather Rattray.
Polish B1 size: 66 x 98 cm
Bright, bold and colourful illustrative poster by Waldemar Swierzy for the Polish film ‘Heads or Tails’ (Orzel i Reszka).
Polish A1 size: 59 x 84 cm
Condition: very good but please note it has been previously folded
Beautiful vintage Polish poster designed in 1963 by Waldemar Swierzy for the Polish release of the British comedy ‘Double Bunk’ (Poslubny Rejs). The film was first released in 1961 and told a story of newlyweds Peggy and Jack who, after being evicted, get tricked into buying a rundown houseboat.
Polish A1 size: 58 x 83 cm
This bold and beautiful original vintage 1967 poster ‘Zwiedzajcie Zoo’ (Visit the Zoo), featuring a zoo tiger, was one of a series designed by the legendary Polish poster artist Waldemar Swierzy to promote the municipal zoo in Warsaw.
Swierzy’s zoo posters have become iconic examples of mid-century graphic design.
Polish B1 size: 67 x 97.5 cm
Condition: Very good.
This is a wonderful original 1968 Polish poster by Waldemar Swierzy for Harold Pinter’s film adaptation of ‘Accident ‘, the 1965 novel by Nicholas Mosley. Swierzy x Pinter is truly the creative marriage of dreams! The classic British drama starred Dirk Bogarde, Stanley Baker and Jacqueline Sassard and was the second of three highly acclaimed collaborations between Pinter and Losey, after ‘The Servant’ and before ‘The Go-Between’. The blue ink on this lithographic print is still so vivid, even after over fifty years.
Poster Polish A1 size: 58 x 82 cm
This is another sensational 1968 vintage Polish theatre poster by legend of the Polish School of Posters Waldemar Swierzy. He designed it for a theatre play ‘Royal Chronicles’ (Kroniki Krolewskie) at the Dramatic Theatre in Warsaw. This poster is very special as it only had a circulation of 1500.
Polish A1 size: 58.5 x 84 cm
Iskra Tylko … (Only A Spark) is a beautiful original 1970 vintage theatre poster for a Warsaw drama production by the wonderful Polish poster artist Waldemar Swierzy. Such a bold and powerful design. We love.
Polish A1 siez: 59 x 85.5 cm
Condition: very good
We absolutely adore this original vintage 1981 National Theatre Poster - Expo exhibition ‘lips’ poster by Waldemar Swierzy. Seems we’re not the only ones as it’s also held at the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art in Amsterdam! So damn hot.
Polish B1 size: 66.5 x 96 cm
Condition: Practically perfect with a very small crease in the top left corner
This is the only official and fully authorised reproduction of the 1980 Polish poster by Waldemar Swierzy for ‘Apocalypse Now’ (Czas Apokalipsy) directed by Francis Coppola, starring Marlon Brando and Martin Sheen.
Polish B1 size: 67 x 97.5 cm