EXTRACTS: Illustrators issue 24 © 2018 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition)

58 Jean Mascii A figur tive artist par excellen e who created the staple image for the Belmondo movie posters. Although born in 1926 in Mirandola, Italy, Mascii’s family, fleeing from fascism back home, moved to France in 1932. Mascii’s father, a gilder of carriages, worked in Pistoia, near Florence. He passed onto Jean the taste for diligent and well executed work. His mother was a seamstress, so in a way, it can be said that his family passed on to him the tradition for beauty. As a child, Mascii cut and made miniature theatres. He had no academic background, and was simply enrolled in a technical college. Before becoming a poster artist, he was a decorator in a workshop specialising in cinema facades. Jean Devaivre’s ‘ La Dame d’Onze Heures’ (‘The Eleven O’Clock Lady’), shot in 1947, was one of Jean Mascii’s first posters. From 1952 to 1955, he worked exclusively for Marcel Ollier and his agency CAP (Consortium of Advertising Arts), located in the Salle de l’Empire in Paris. During those years, he created posters for re-released films such as ‘Pontcarral, Empire Colonel’ (1942) by Jean Delannoy, ‘Extenuating Circumstances’ (1939) by Jean Boyer, ‘Limelight’ (1952) by Charlie Chaplin, but also for recently released films such as ‘ Rue de l’Estrapade’ (1952) by Jacques Becker. As early as 1955, Mascii worked on his own and his talent was immediately recognized. He possessed the quality so well suited to the creation of posters: the art of portraiture. With his pencils he knew how to reproduce the singular traits of such an actress and actor better than a photo, and he added an unreal dimension to all those faces, enabling them to be engraved in the FACING PAGE: ‘ Les Yeux Sans Visage’ / ‘Eyes Without a Face’ (1960). Stunning image for the Georges Franju film with Edith Scob acting only with her eyes behind a mask. Also dubbed and re- distributed in America as The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus . The original title served as a song by Billy Idol. ABOVE: ‘ La Fureur de Vaincre’ / ‘Fists of Fury’ (1979). Second Bruce Lee film shot in 1973. Mascii was asked to do the cover for its French video release in 1979. BELOW LEFT AND RIGHT: ‘ La Fille du Fleuve’ / ‘Woman of the River’ (1957). Italian Sophia Loren drama also known as The River Girl .