Richard AVEDON Photos: 1967 Original First-Edition Psychedelic Beatles Posters

Description

RICHARD AVEDON
THE BEATLES, 1967
The psychedelic posters each measure 18.5 x 27 inches
.
Beatles manager Brian Epstein commissioned Richard Avedon to photograph the band and design a set of posters that would visually capture the new psychedelic direction of
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
and
Magical Mystery Tour.
Following the shoot at a penthouse in Thompson House, 200 Gray's Inn Road, London on 11th August 1967,
Avedon distorted four of the polarized images with day-glo overlays and symbolic attributes. The photographs were first published in the 9th January 1968 edition of the US magazine
Look
, and the posters distributed simultaneously by
Look
magazine in the US, the
Daily Express
in the UK and
Stern Magazine
in Europe, together with a black and white banner poster of the band which became known as the Mount Rushmore poster. With a pull out order form which described the four posters as
Flame Bright John, Flower Power Paul, Mystic George and Dove Loving Ringo,
fans could send away for the set for 30 shillings. The Stern set were also sold at newstands, rolled and wrapped in plastic. The posters have become seminal images of the late 1960's, transcending the world of music memorabilia and appealing to collectors of art and design alike. Although originally printed in a large open edition, few survive in unused condition. An example of the Stern set is held in the collection of the V&A Museum, London, and another set sold at Heritage Auctions in 2015 for ,000.
CONDITION
Excellent (A-)
Negligible handling dings to four portrait posters. Very minor edge wear. Image and colors excellent.
Complete set of four lithograph posters, each from the first edition, each published by Cowles Education Corporation/Richard Avedon Posters, Inc. and from Maximus Enterprises LTD., printed by Waterlow and Sons, Ltd., England, copyright by Nems Enterprises Ltd. (see photo for proof)