US EditionThe painting that introduced 'Star Wars' to the world fetches $3.9M at auction
The painting broke records with a $3.875 million sale, surpassing previous franchise memorabilia prices and reflecting strong demand for rare Star Wars artifacts.
- On Wednesday, Heritage Auctions in Dallas sold Tom Jung's original painting for $3.875 million, consigned by the Kurtz family with bidding starting at $1,000,000.
- On May 13, 1977, the acrylic and airbrush painting first appeared in newspaper ads and was widely reproduced on billboards, magazine ads and theater programs, Heritage Auctions said.
- The painting's composition shows R2-D2 and C-3PO added at the last minute; one side depicts Luke Skywalker holding a lightsaber behind Princess Leia, the other an X-wing attack with Darth Vader and Han Solo receiving medals.
- The sale reset records for the highest-selling Star Wars memorabilia and movie poster artwork, Heritage Auctions said, surpassing the prior $3.6 million record for Darth Vader's lightsaber as collectors and fans drove demand.
- As a long-running franchise, Star Wars since 1977 and its sequels and offshoots enlarged demand for collectibles, Charles Epting said the painting's evolution shows why it became a cultural touchstone.
48 Articles
48 Articles
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By AUDREY McAVOY The painting that introduced “Star Wars” to the world nearly 50 years ago — and was reproduced on an iconic movie poster — sold at auction Wednesday for $3.875 million. The acrylic and airbrushed work by artist and movie poster designer Tom Jung first appeared in newspaper ads on May 13, 1977, just under two weeks before the release of George Lucas’s epic space epic. It also adorned billboards, magazine ads, and theater programs.
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