Our work begins with the professional photography of original vintage prints. Folds, abrasions, tears, stains, fading and other signs of age and use are part of a poster's physical history, but they do not necessarily have to remain in its reproduction.

Each image is captured in high resolution and digitally prepared. The final restoration is completed when a work is selected for a print or a project: every imperfection is carefully examined and corrected, recovering colour, detail and continuity without altering the identity of the artwork.

Restoring original print formats

Each format carries distinctive traces of its history

Lobby cards, typically folded in half, often show a central crease, while larger posters, folded into multiple sections, feature several worn fold lines. Digital restoration helps reconstruct missing areas and remove scratches and marks, returning the image to its original appearance.

For large formats, such as 140 x 200 cm (known as “four-sheet” posters, since the standard printing unit one sheet is 70 x 100 cm), digital restoration is more complex because the original image was printed on two separate sheets. This was necessary since 100 x 140 cm was the maximum size for nearly all printing presses. The sheets were then joined to recreate the full image, which often resulted in overlaps, misalignments, and, over time, color inconsistencies.

Virtual restoration aims to create a single seamless image, uniform in color and detail, precisely recomposing all sections and the characteristic lithographic halftone pattern found in vintage prints.

How we restore

Digital restoration may involve several different techniques:

• Retouching and cleaning: removing scratches, folds, stains, abrasions and other imperfections found in vintage prints.
• Reconstruction of missing areas: when part of an image is missing or severely damaged, it may be reconstructed using other copies, variants, photographs or archival documentation as reference.
• Colour recovery: colours altered or faded over time are carefully rebalanced to recover the chromatic quality of the artwork while preserving its character.
• Recomposition: joins, misalignments and interruptions in the image are corrected to restore continuity to the composition.

Restoration is not about beautifying or reinterpreting an artwork. Its purpose is to recover as much of the original work as possible and make it fully visible again while preserving its identity and character.

Beyond the promotional elements

Movie posters often featured billing blocks, promotional copy, distributor marks and other information superimposed on the painted artwork for the film's theatrical campaign.

If requested, we can bring the artist's work more clearly to the foreground by removing these elements and creating a more faithful version of the artwork retaining the film title as an integral part of the composition.

The result is particularly suited to interior design, hospitality, exhibition and contemporary furnishing projects, where the image can be appreciated above all for its artistic quality.

Bespoke image work

A restored file can also become the starting point for more specific requirements.

On request, we can isolate a detail of the artwork, work on individual elements of the image, recompose details or assess more complex image adaptations to meet the needs of a particular project.

Each request is considered individually according to the work involved, with a dedicated quotation provided where required.

All interventions are assessed with respect for the character of the artwork and any applicable rights.

Bringing an artistic heritageback to light

Digital restoration does not replace the original vintage print. It allows its image to be recovered more faithfully and made accessible again.

Works originally created to accompany a film's theatrical release for only a few weeks can thus return to view, preserving the power of the drawing, colour and painting that made them an important chapter in the history of Italian cinema.