“The Libertine / The Matriarch” (女性上位時代), Original Japanese Movie Poster 1969, STB Tatekan (c. 51 × 145 cm) — T130
This is an original Japanese STB tatekan theatrical poster for the 1969 first Japanese release of La matriarca, internationally known as The Libertine and advertised on this poster as The Matriarch. Released in Japan as 女性上位時代, the film opened on 1 February 1969, presented by Towa.
Printed across two vertically arranged sheets, this imposing format gives the film’s playful imagery and striking Japanese typography an exceptional presence. Its combination of pastel colours, oversized photography and geometric framing captures the fashionable atmosphere of late-1960s European cinema.
Directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile, the 1968 Italian comedy stars Catherine Spaak and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Spaak plays Mimi, a young widow who discovers her late husband’s secret erotic life and begins exploring her own desires through a succession of encounters. The story approaches changing sexual attitudes and the relationship between freedom and marriage with humour and a distinctly contemporary sense of style.
The film’s appeal extends to its visual and musical character. Armando Trovajoli’s score accompanies a world of fashionable interiors and costumes, with Gaia Romanini’s costume credit appearing in the poster’s lower billing.
The upper sheet is dominated by a playful photograph of Spaak riding on Trintignant’s back, both smiling. His outstretched arm crosses towards the left edge, while her long blonde hair and the nearby pink flowers soften the composition. A large lavender diagonal divides the pale background, giving the photographic arrangement a clean, graphic structure.
Running almost the full height of the upper sheet is the Japanese title 「女性上位時代」, approximately “The Age of Female Supremacy.” Its enormous magenta characters are drawn with sharp, elongated strokes, creating a dramatic counterpoint to the relaxed expressions of the stars.
The promotional text reads:
「女性上位でごめんなさい！ これが今日のラブ・モード！ エレガントで華麗な 恋の季節のマン・ハント！」
“Sorry, ladies have the upper hand! This is today’s style of love! An elegant, glamorous manhunt in the season of romance!”
The lower sheet introduces a second, much larger portrait of Spaak, framed inside a broad white circle. Her raised arms, expressive eyes and orange-red lipstick make this the composition’s other principal focal point. “THE MATRIARCH” curves around the lower edge of the circle in green lettering.
Surrounding this portrait are smaller film scenes tinted yellow, pink, red and blue-grey. These panels give the design the appearance of a colourful magazine layout, balancing intimate moments with the film’s comic situations. Japanese cast and production credits cross the lower section, with the Towa emblem prominently displayed between the final photographic panels.
A stylish and substantial example for collectors of Catherine Spaak, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Italian cinema and Japanese tatekan design.
Condition: Very Good+ to Excellent. A small rectangular discoloured mark is visible near the upper margin from an old piece of tape that has subsequently fallen off. The photographs retain strong detail, and the magenta title and pastel colours remain particularly attractive. Once framed, this poster will display beautifully.
Please review all photographs, including the fronts and reverses, as they show the exact poster for sale.
STB tatekan format: two sheets, approximately 51 × 145 cm overall when displayed together.
Stock code: T130.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
About Japanese STB tatekan posters
Japanese STB tatekan posters use two vertically arranged sheets to create a tall theatrical display. Their extended proportions allowed designers to combine large portraits, dramatic lettering and multiple scenes in compositions distinct from the standard B2 format.
