Leopoldo Metlicovitz Tosca
Buy this print on Etsy →A sumptuous piece of operatic history, this is Leopoldo Metlicovitz's poster for Giacomo Puccini's 'Tosca' - the tragic masterpiece that premiered in Rome in 1900. Rich with Art Nouveau drama, the design distils the whole opera into a single charged image of its doomed lovers, the painter Cavaradossi and the fiery singer Floria Tosca, rendered in the deep, glowing colours and elegant line of turn-of-the-century Italian poster art. For anyone who loves opera, it is instantly, thrillingly recognisable.
The poster was created for Casa Ricordi, Puccini's legendary Milan publisher, whose in-house design studio produced some of the most beautiful theatrical posters ever made. Leopoldo Metlicovitz (1868-1944) was one of its greatest talents - a largely self-taught master who rose to run Ricordi's printing works and mentored the young Marcello Dudovich. His images for Puccini's operas, 'Tosca' among them, helped turn opening nights into national events and remain icons of the Belle Époque.
'Tosca' itself is one of the most popular operas ever written - a taut thriller of love, jealousy, torture and sacrifice set in Rome, home to the show-stopping arias 'Vissi d'arte' and 'E lucevan le stelle.' Metlicovitz's poster captures that heightened emotion perfectly, marrying operatic passion to the decorative sophistication of the age.
As wall art it is wonderfully evocative. The dramatic palette and romantic subject make it a natural for a music room, study or living room, a home theatre, or the wall of anyone who plays or sings. It is a perfect gift for opera lovers, Puccini fans, musicians, sopranos and admirers of vintage Italian poster art, and it pairs beautifully with other opera, theatre and Belle Époque prints.
Because the original dates to around 1900 and Metlicovitz's work is now in the public domain, we are able to reproduce it at full museum quality.
Each print is produced on premium 189 gsm museum-grade archival matte paper, faithfully capturing the deep colours, fine line and warm vintage tones of the original lithograph - ready to frame and enjoy for years to come.
