"Oliver"   Lot no. 800

Add to Want List


By Richard Amsel 1947-1985

1968 (Estimated)
22.50" x15.50"
Acrylic on Board
Signed Lower Right

REQUEST PRICE


PURCHASE REQUEST


Made for the movie poster for "Oliver"



Explore related art collections: Children / Movies / 1960s / Men / $5,000 - $20,000 / Family / Action / Poster Illustrations / Advertisements

See all original artwork by Richard Amsel

ABOUT THE ARTIST

 

    Richard Amsel had a brilliant but tragically short career that flamed out with AIDS. Within that brief time, he reached the top of the profession he had entered while still an illustration student at the Philadelphia College of Art in 1969.

    His chosen field was in advertising and movie posters, a highly competitive one in which he regularly won the big movie accounts over more seasoned professionals. Among his spectacular poser designs were those commissioned for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Chinatown, The Dark Crystal and The Sting. The latter was done in style of J. C. Leyendecker; with Nijinsky, he emulated the Russian Leon Bakst, and for other assignments he created homages to Rolf Armstrong and Coles Phillips. TV Guide commissioned him to do over forty covers, depicting a lengthy roster of stars and celebrities, including John Travolta, Lucille Ball, Katharine Hepburn, Elvis Presley, Vivien Leigh, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and Clark Gable. Amsel also illustrated fiction for magazines such as McCall’s, and designed record album covers.

    He received numerous awards from both the Society of Illustrators in Los Angeles and New York, a Golden Key Award from the Hollywood Reporter, and a Grammy award.

    To settle his estate, Christie’s auction house held a one-man sale for his movie poster art in 1987, which elicited avid bidding by many private collectors.