A Yoda puppet head skin from Irvin Kershner’s Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) met Jedi Master Yoda on the swamp planet Dagobah, where the young hero trained under the reclusive master in the ways of the Force before confronting Darth Vader (David Prowse).

Widely regarded as one of the greatest sequels ever made, The Empire Strikes Back elevated the Star Wars saga to new heights with its darker themes, groundbreaking visual effects, and iconic revelations, receiving Academy Award® recognition and cementing its place as one of the most influential films in cinema history.

The creation of arguably the Star Wars franchise’s most beloved character began in 1978 with initial concept designs by credited visual effects art director Joe Johnston, followed by concept artist Ralph McQuarrie's further development of the character’s appearance through a series of highly detailed paintings. Heeding the advice of The Muppets creator Jim Henson, George Lucas brought the character to life on screen as a puppet, and enlisted puppeteer Frank Oz to perform the role while providing Yoda’s distinctive voice.

The character’s physical appearance was realized by credited make-up and creature designer Stuart Freeborn, who refined the design through numerous test sculpts before producing the final clay model, famously incorporating elements of his own likeness, as well as that of Albert Einstein.

This foam-latex puppet-head skin originated from Stuart Freeborn. Multiple skins were made for Yoda's head during production because once a skin became too worn or damaged for filming, it was removed and replaced. This is an original skin from production. The expertly-sculpted ears were attached in post-production to complete the head.

The lot is presented on a black-painted polystyrene head bust mounted to an acrylic display base. The skin has undergone sympathetic restoration for preservation purposes and exhibits some discoloration, deterioration, cracking, and other signs of aging consistent with its almost 50-year age. Dimensions: 8.25” x 13” x 11” (21 cm x 33 cm x 28 cm)