Artwork for a 3Dees pop-up card of legendary actor James Dean hand-painted by artist Kazuhiko Sano circa 1982. Appearing in only three major films - Rebel Without a Cause (1955), East of Eden (1955), and Giant (1956) - before his life was tragically cut short, James Dean nonetheless made a huge impact on cinema acting and pop culture. Dean was posthumously nominated for Best Actor Academy Awards® for his performances in both East of Eden and Giant, making him the first male actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award® nomination in that category. He remains the only actor to receive two posthumous nominations.
Among the most renowned posterists and illustrators in Hollywood history, Sano is best known for designing the legendary style "B" one-sheet for Richard Marquand's Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, which is widely considered by fans to be the best poster from that film's promotional campaign. In the same period, Sano also contributed artwork to numerous other personal and commercial projects, including for such beloved franchises as Romancing the Stone and Star Trek. Surviving original artwork by Sano is today exceedingly scarce.
This artwork depicting Dean in his iconic red jacket ensemble from Rebel Without a Cause is rendered and hand-labeled "James Dean" in multimedia on paper. It shows evidence of wear consistent with handling and age. Dimensions: 20" x 30" (51 cm x 76.25 cm)
Sold without copyright; see notice in the Buyer's Guide.