The Man Behind the Movie Posters: Renato Casaro

Despite his 60-year career creating movie posters, artist Renato Casaro has only recently started being recognized as the art itself has faded away. In his hometown of Treviso, Italy, the Ministry of Culture has brought Casaro to the spotlight in a retrospective entitled, “L’ultimo cartellonista del cinema.” (The Last Poster Artist of the Cinema) held in three locations across the city.

With approximately a portfolio of over 1,500 pieces, the showcase includes his earliest works as a young adult, as well as posters created for the famous actors, Sylvester Stallone and Leonardo DiCaprio. “Conan the Barbarian”, “My Name is Nobody,” and “Rambo: First Blood Part II” are just a few of the many posters created by the artist. His ability to depict a variety of detailed images, all hand-drawn, distinguish him within his field.

Working with notable figures like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dino De Laurentiis was the catalyst for Casaro’s artistic career. Another factor was the constant development of his artistic mediums over the years. There was a shift in his work that made his posters more lifelike and aided him in catching the core of the movie’s theme.

As more people started to prefer more computerized mediums, Casaro stopped making his handmade posters. However, his ability to showcase posters as legitimate works of art has left a remarkable imprint in the Italian art world.

— Mahogany Brim