1940s Profesor Alba | Framed Spanish Stage Act Litho Poster

Details

Description

Artist: Rafael "Ramón" Raga Montesinos (Spanish, Valencia; 1910-1985)
Date: c. 1940s
Medium: Color lithograph on paper
Style/Movement: Mid-century Spanish commercial … Read more Artist: Rafael "Ramón" Raga Montesinos (Spanish, Valencia; 1910-1985)
Date: c. 1940s
Medium: Color lithograph on paper
Style/Movement: Mid-century Spanish commercial illustration / Esoteric stage-poster tradition
Dimensions: 17.75" W x 32.75" H (framed as shown)

Condition:
Small tear at the upper left quadrant affecting part of the word "PROFESOR." Light creasing visible across portions of the print surface. Colors remain bold and saturated, and the sheet retains strong overall presentation. Frame shows only minor handling wear.

Additional Details:
Printed by Gráficas Valencia, this vivid theatrical poster promotes the illusionist Profesor Alba, billed dramatically as "El hombre que juega con la muerte" ("The man who plays with death"). The composition-with its sharply rendered skeletal figure and cool blue-black tuxedoed magician-exemplifies the bold, high-contrast palette and stylized dramatic flair characteristic of mid-century Spanish magic and stage posters.

Raga Montesinos was among Spain's most recognized poster artists of the era, working extensively for Gráficas Valencia before and after the Spanish Civil War. His career included politically charged work for the Popular Front and exhibitions such as the Spanish Pavilion at the 1937 Paris Exposition. After a period of imprisonment during the Franco regime, he continued his career under the pseudonym "Ramón", producing commercial posters and easel paintings for decades. This piece reflects his refined command of color lithography and his talent for theatrical, attention-grabbing imagery. See less