Star Wars poster original painting by Greg and Tim Hildebrandt

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Star Wars poster original painting by Greg and Tim Hildebrandt

Painted by the famous twin brothers, Greg and Tim Hildebrandt, in just thirty-six hours due to a tight deadline, this poster is base on Tom Jung's theatrical one-sheet comp. The poster created one of the signature images of the 1970s with this striking, cosmic tableau showing the Skywalker family, a craggy terrain and a space battle unfolding in the starry sky. The Hildebrandt's unique take on Tom Jung artwork was enthusiastically embraced by the public. T-shirts and pin-up posters bearing the Hildebrandt artwork became wildly popular, capturing at once the fantasy, humanity, and uniqueness of the Star Wars experience. Sales of merchandise bearing the Hildebrandt image were unprecedented, successfully carrying the Star Wars message into schoolyards and suburban neighborhoods - places traditional theater and billboard advertising couldn't reach. Newspapers also ran the Hildebrandt artwork throughout the year, infiltrating Sunday morning breakfasts and train rides to work. This painting was used as the main theatrical poster in a number of countries (UK, Spain and Turkish), and in the United States it became one of the first commercial Star Wars posters. It was used

Incredibly, the first version of it was without the droids and was created in a feverish, nonstop effort ! George Lucas asked for the droids to be added and for our signatures to be larger. So they made those changes directly at the ad agency, and off it went!

When Tim Hildebrandt past away in 2006, George Lucas declared "For millions of fans around the world, the Star Wars poster that Tim and Greg Hildebrandt created in 1977 became the definitive illustration of that galaxy far, far away. It's an exciting, vibrant and unforgettable image that is even more astonishing when you realize that it was created in just 36 hours. While it's only one of countless beautiful pieces of art that Tim created in his life -- including hundreds of other inspired Star Wars illustrations -- the Star Wars poster is truly iconic and will always loom large in the imagination. We will miss Tim's artistry and talents tremendously".

One of the most important artifact of ScienceFictionArchives.com, the original painting was display in our 2012 exhibition "Star Wars Toys" at Paris Louvre Museum (Les Arts Décoratifs).