PIECE OF HISTORY

Iconic Art That Introduced the World to ‘Star Wars’ Sells for Record Price

The airbrushed painting was used as the film’s promotional poster prior to its release in 1977.

A 1977 painting that introduced the world to Star Wars sold for $3.875 million at an auction, becoming the most expensive piece of memorabilia in the franchise’s history. Tom Jung’s acrylic and airbrushed painting, later repurposed as the film’s iconic movie poster, first appeared on billboards, theater programs, and in newspaper ads in the weeks before the film’s initial release, serving as the general public’s first glimpse into George Lucas’ now-legendary space opera. “For most of America, this was the first time they got a glimpse of the galaxy far, far away,” said Charles Eptin of Heritage Auctions. “Anyone who’s seen these movies or the marketing materials around it—you see this piece, your heart starts racing.” He called the painting a “cultural artifact” and a piece of American history. The painting initially belonged to Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz, who passed it to his daughter, who later put it up for auction with a starting bid of $1 million. The buyer chose to keep their identity private. Before the sale, the most expensive piece of Star Wars memorabilia was Darth Vader’s lightsaber, which sold for $3.6 million at an auction in August, which also included a whip used by Indiana Jones in The Last Crusade.