Roland Garros French Open 1981

Created for the 1981 French Open tennis championships at Roland Garros in Paris, this original poster was designed by Spanish artist Eduardo Arroyo (1937–2018). The wonderfully simple composition shows a tennis player from behind, identified almost entirely by his long blond hair and a red, white and blue headband. Above the figure, “Roland Garros” is written in a loose, hand-drawn script, with “1981” appearing below.Arroyo avoids the conventional imagery of rackets, tennis balls and the clay court. Instead, the headband and unmistakable silhouette of the player become the entire subject. The deliberately spare, almost childlike drawing gives the poster an immediacy that makes it particularly memorable. The red, white and blue stripes also provide a subtle reference to the colors of the French flag.The 1981 French Open was held at Stade Roland Garros in Paris. Sweden’s Björn Borg won the men’s singles championship, defeating Ivan Lendl in a five-set final. It was Borg’s sixth French Open title and his fourth consecutive victory at Roland Garros. Hana Mandlíková won the women’s singles championship, defeating Sylvia Hanika in the final.Eduardo Arroyo (1937–2018) was a Spanish painter, printmaker, illustrator and stage designer who spent much of his career in France. Born in Madrid, he moved to Paris in 1958 and became associated with the European Figurative Narrative movement. His work frequently employed simplified figures, bold outlines, recognizable cultural imagery and elements of irony. Arroyo exhibited internationally and became an important figure in postwar European figurative art.This is an Original Vintage Poster, it is not a reproduction. This poster is conservation mounted, linen backed and in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all our posters.