Jan Młodożeniec, "The Thinking Man"

Silkscreen print, 100x70 cm, no. 29/100, signed "pdr"

Jan Młodożeniec (born 1929 in Warsaw, died 2000 there) – Polish graphic artist; active in commercial art, particularly posters and book illustrations; one of the most prominent representatives of the Polish School of Posters, and also a painter. From 1948 to 1955, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, in the Department of Graphic Arts, under Prof. Henryk Tomaszewski in the graphic arts and poster design program.
He designed posters and graphic works, collaborating with publishers such as Czytelnik, Iskry, the Art and Graphic Publishing House, the Film Rental Agency, as well as theaters and museums. His works were distinguished by their vibrant colors, humor, and his ability to encapsulate a theme in a single image.
He is the creator of movie posters (including *Once Upon a Time in America*, *The Godfather*, *Gremlins*, *The Great Gatsby*), theater posters (for plays by Chekhov, Fredro, and Wyspiański), posters for cultural events (the 10th Zamość Theater Summer, poster and graphic art exhibitions), advertising posters, and book covers (Stanisław Młodożeniec’s *Kreski i futureski*, Agnieszka Osiecka’s *Szpetni czterdziestoletni*, Witold Gombrowicz’s *Trans-Atlantyk*).
Throughout his life, Jan Młodożeniec held over 40 solo exhibitions. Between 1962 and 2000, he participated in numerous Polish poster exhibitions in Poland and abroad, including the International Poster Biennales in Warsaw, the U.S., and Toyama. He was a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale from 1974 onward.