At a Heritage Auctions sale of Hollywood memorabilia in Dallas on Wednesday, a Star Wars painting sold for $3.88 million, breaking the record for an object associated with the series. The work, a painting by illustrator Tom Jung, served as the original half-sheet poster for Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope when it was first released in 1977.
The work was consigned by the family of the film s producer Gary Kurtz, who has owned it since it was first produced by Jung. The work first appeared in national newspapers on May 13, 1977, two weeks before the film s release, marking the first image used to widely promote the film.
The work was subsequently used for the film s official program, billboards, and magazine and newspaper ads. “This isn’t just a milestone for Star Wars. It’s a landmark moment for the entire field of pop culture collectibles and artwork,” Charles Epting, Heritage’s director of pop culture and historical consignments, said in a statement.
“This painting defined the visual language one of the most beloved films of all time, and its impact clearly still resonates with collectors at the highest level.” Following the film s release, the painting hung in Kurtz s office in San Rafael, California, before moving with him to his residence. The $3.88 million price achieved for the painting exceeds the $3.6 million paid for Darth Vader s lightsaber prop in September at Propstore in Los Angeles and the $3.13 million aid for a “Red Leader” X-Wing miniature at Heritage Auctions Dallas in 2023.
The previous record for a work of movie poster art was set in July at Heritage for the $687,500 sale of Bob Peak s Apocalypse Now artwork.
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