Struzan/Amsel art featured at Christie's Auction

Posted by Adam from spider-tl034.proxy.aol.com on June 21, 2000 at 18:15:34:

Tomorrow on June 22 (Thursday), Christies will be auctioning away a variety of artwork and designs for movie posters and promotions. The auction is expected to have a wide variety of bidders, as film art has generated much interest. A part of the proceeds will be donated to USC.

Fortunately, USC provided a glimpse of this work to the public from last Thursday through Saturday, at the Robert Zemekis center gallery, located by the USC campus (right across the street from the Shrine auditorium). I went to take a look over the weekend, and was delighted and amazed by what I saw.

Hundreds of sketches and final paintings were part of the exhibit, with a wide variety of paintings from Richard Chorney, Drew Struzan, John Alvin, and Richard Amsel.

For those in the L.A. area who wish to check it out, the auction will take place 2:30 PM at the following:
Christie's Los Angeles
360 North Camden
Beverly Hills, CA

Seeing these works in person were amazing - particularly noticing all the little details and brushstrokes that are lost when the image is reduced and copied. Though many of the paintings were executed in sizes much larger than the standard 30x40" posters, some (like that of the art for ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ) were surprisingly small. Whether you're a simple movie fan, or a professional artist, there's a certain magic in regarding these works up front, with the actual canvases and paper that the artists touched.

I spoke with one of the directors of the upcoming auction, and though I can't remember his name he was very courteous, explaining some detail about his personal dealings and business relationships with many of the artists he represented (though, admittedly, he couldn't draw himself).

He told me how he regretted that the auction couldn't contain any of the work of the late Bob Peak. Peak, one of the most influential and legendary movie artists in the last 25 years, was known for his very stylized, bold renderings with vivid color. His posters for APOCALYPSE NOW and SUPERMAN (the famous "teaser" painting of a cloudscape pierced by a bullet), as well as those for STAR TREK I-V, made him the granddaddy to the art. (As a side note, I noticed that one of the works was improperly labelled -- credited by Christie's as a design for STAR TREK III, it was actually made for STAR TREK V. Naturally, I tried to be polite in informing the director of this.)

I was also finally was able to learn more detail about one of my favorite artists: Richard Amsel, whose work graced the campaigns of RAIDERS, THE SHOOTIST, DARK CRYSTAL, FLASH GORDON, THE STING, MACABE & MRS. MILLER, among many others.

Sadly, Amsel died in 1985. What I was surprized to learn was that, contrary to what I had thought, Amsel died very young - in his early forties (he was only a few years older than Struzan). He achieved a great deal of success at a very young age, winning a major film design campaign while not even out of art school in his early twenties (sometime in the late sixties). In 1987, two years after Amsel's death, a part of his collection of original paintings were offered for sale by Christie's New York. The additional pieces were sold to private collectors. Though largely obscure titles, with the majority of pieces never even having been used in movie campaigns, his film-related pictures sold in the $10-15,000 range. Shortly thereafter, Amsel's original image for Raiders of the Lost Ark was purchased for $45,000. Given their scarcity and value, drawings and paintings by Amsel are difficult to find and, usually, collectors are averse to parting with them.

If you can't make it to the auction, Christie's does have a very nice catalogue of the items up for sale, including a great deal of information on the artists, and many full-color pictures. (You can purchase this catalogue, I'm told, via their web site. The price runs about $25.00) For more information, dial 310-385-2600, or 310-395-6300

Christie's also has many of the more prominent works featured on their web site, though the images are nothing compared to seeing them in person. For the main page of THE MASTERS OF CINEMA ART, go to:
http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10199

Highlights include a new poster design by John Alvin for BLADE RUNNER:
http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10199

A preliminary sketch by Amsel for his design for THE SHOOTIST:
http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10199
And MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS:
http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10199

Chorney's conceptual design for a poster for INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE:
http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10199
This design, which never was used in the final stages (in favor of Drew Struzan's campaign), was the only Indy-themed art at the auction, though much of Struzan and Amsel's work on other projects were shown, including those for STAR WARS, E.T., and STAR TREK.

Follow Ups:

Post a Followup:

Name:    
E-Mail:  
Subject: 
Comments:

: Tomorrow on June 22 (Thursday), Christies will be auctioning away a variety of artwork and designs for movie posters and promotions.  The auction is expected to have a wide variety of bidders, as film art has generated much interest.  A part of the proceeds will be donated to USC.

: Fortunately, USC provided a glimpse of this work to the public from last Thursday through Saturday, at the Robert Zemekis center gallery, located by the USC campus (right across the street from the Shrine auditorium).  I went to take a look over the weekend, and was delighted and amazed by what I saw.

: Hundreds of sketches and final paintings were part of the exhibit, with a wide variety of paintings from Richard Chorney, Drew Struzan, John Alvin, and Richard Amsel.

: For those in the L.A. area who wish to check it out, the auction will take place 2:30 PM at the following:
: Christie's Los Angeles
: 360 North Camden 
: Beverly Hills, CA

: Seeing these works in person were amazing - particularly noticing all the little details and brushstrokes that are lost when the image is reduced and copied.  Though many of the paintings were executed in sizes much larger than the standard 30x40" posters, some (like that of the art for ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ) were surprisingly small.  Whether you're a simple movie fan, or a professional artist, there's a certain magic in regarding these works up front, with the actual canvases and paper that the artists touched.

: I spoke with one of the directors of the upcoming auction, and though I can't remember his name he was very courteous, explaining some detail about his personal dealings and business relationships with many of the artists he represented (though, admittedly, he couldn't draw himself).

: He told me how he regretted that the auction couldn't contain any of the work of the late Bob Peak.  Peak, one of the most influential and legendary movie artists in the last 25 years, was known for his very stylized, bold renderings with vivid color.  His posters for APOCALYPSE NOW and SUPERMAN (the famous "teaser" painting of a cloudscape pierced by a bullet), as well as those for STAR TREK I-V, made him the granddaddy to the art.  (As a side note, I noticed that one of the works was improperly labelled -- credited by Christie's as a design for STAR TREK III, it was actually made for STAR TREK V.  Naturally, I tried to be polite in informing the director of this.)

: I was also finally was able to learn more detail about one of my favorite artists:  Richard Amsel, whose work graced the campaigns of RAIDERS, THE SHOOTIST, DARK CRYSTAL, FLASH GORDON, THE STING, MACABE & MRS. MILLER, among many others.

: Sadly, Amsel died in 1985.  What I was surprized to learn was that, contrary to what I had thought, Amsel died very young - in his early forties (he was only a few years older than Struzan).  He achieved a great deal of success at a very young age, winning a major film design campaign while not even out of art school in his early twenties (sometime in the late sixties).  In 1987, two years after Amsel's death, a part of his collection of original paintings were offered for sale by Christie's New York. The additional pieces were sold to private collectors. Though largely obscure titles, with the majority of pieces never even having been used in movie campaigns, his film-related pictures sold in the $10-15,000 range. Shortly thereafter, Amsel's original image for Raiders of the Lost Ark was purchased for $45,000. Given their scarcity and value, drawings and paintings by Amsel are difficult to find and, usually, collectors are averse to parting with them.

: If you can't make it to the auction, Christie's does have a very nice catalogue of the items up for sale, including a great deal of information on the artists, and many full-color pictures.  (You can purchase this catalogue, I'm told, via their web site.  The price runs about $25.00)  For more information, dial 310-385-2600, or 310-395-6300

: Christie's also has many of the more prominent works featured on their web site, though the images are nothing compared to seeing them in person.  For the main page of THE MASTERS OF CINEMA ART, go to:
: http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10199

: Highlights include a new poster design by John Alvin for BLADE RUNNER:
: http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10199

: A preliminary sketch by Amsel for his design for THE SHOOTIST:
: http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10199
: And MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS:
: http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10199

: Chorney's conceptual design for a poster for INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE:
: http://www.christies.com/index.asp?action=sale&id=10199
: This design, which never was used in the final stages (in favor of Drew Struzan's campaign), was the only Indy-themed art at the auction, though much of Struzan and Amsel's work on other projects were shown, including those for STAR WARS, E.T., and STAR TREK.

Optional:

Link URL:   
Link Title: 
Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Indyfan Forum ] [ FAQ ]