Threepenny Opera
1976
Artist / Maker / Culture
Paul Davis
DIMENSIONS
81 x 41 in. (205.7 x 104.1 cm)
OBJECT NUMBER
PH.6614
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Entertainment, Opera, Poster House, The Push Pin Legacy, Theater, United States
CREDIT LINE
Poster House Permanent Collection
KEYWORDS
Entertainment, Opera, Poster House, The Push Pin Legacy, Theater, United States

Paul Davis’s image of Raul Julia as the infamous “Mack the Knife” in the Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill classic is both confrontational and arresting, blending elements of Socialist Realism with those of 19th-century portraiture. Unlike most theater advertising, this poster did not mention the stars, the director, or even that it was part of the Shakespeare Festival. We are only offered a title dripping blood and the location of the performance. This unusual decision was made by Papp, who wanted the posters to convey a sense of each play rather than merely sell tickets, understanding that the images would long outlast the productions. When Poster House moved into our building, a copy of this poster had been glued to the back wall by TekServe, the previous tenant.

For inquiries about image licensing, please contact collections@posterhouse.org.

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