PUBLICATIONS & CATALOGS

Amsel's work often appears within books on movie posters and contemporary illustration. There are only two publications, however, that pertain exclusively to his work:

 

The Art of Richard Amsel

After Amsel's death in late 1985, much of the artwork from his personal collection was auctioned away. Christie's produced this auction catalog, released in 1987, featuring 47 lots.

Christie's East, 1987. Softcover, 48 pages, approx. 8.25 x 10.25". Color and B&W images.

 

Richard Amsel: A Retrospective

This remains the most definitive publication on Amsel's life and work. The University of the Arts produced this special catalog -- a beautiful, 48-page book featuring color illustrations of highlights from the exhibit, some of which have never before been published. Also included are personal tributes to Amsel from such noted celebrities as Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin, biographical information on the artist, and a comprehensive list of all his official movie posters and TV Guide covers.

The University of the Arts, 2008. Softcover, 48 pages, approx. 8.25 x 10.25". Color and B&W images.

 

More details on the above can be found within the EXHIBITS & SHOWS page.

 

 

Further publications where Amsel's art figures prominently include: 

 

Masters of Cinema Art

In June of 2000, Christie's held another auction of movie poster artwork, including works from such artists as John Alvin and Drew Struzan. A number of Amsel's pieces were prominently featured. I attended this (it was held right outside of the USC campus), and it reignited my interest in Amsel's career. It was also where, oddly enough, I first learned of Amsel's death, and that he passed at such a young age. This softcover auction catalog contains biographical info on each of the poster artists featured, along with full color illustrations.

Christie's, 2000. Softcover, 163 pages, approx. 8.25 x 10.25". Color and B&W images.

 

The Art of TV GUIDE

Jerry Alten's book examines the history of the entertainment magazine's numerous covers, and the many celebrated illustrators who contributed to them. It comes with full page color illustrations, to compliment Alten's descriptions.

Bangzoom Publishers, 2007. Hardcover, 142 pages, approx. 11 x 8.4". Color and B&W images.

 

Ballyhoo! Posters as Portraiture

Wendy Wick Reaves' book features Amsel's portrait of Bette Midler prominently on the cover, and is an interesting look at the Smithsonian's extensive collection, crossed with a narrative of the poster as an art form. While the Midler portrait is the only one of Amsel's works to be featured, it's certainly worthy of mention to Amsel fans. Wick makes an unforgivable mistake, however, in listing the legendary APOCALYPSE NOW poster as the work of an "unidentified artist" -- when Bob Peak's very signature is clearly visible on the poster itself! (It reminds me of the time Maya Foo, a researcher at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, rather stupidly referred to THE STING as a sequel to BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID in her recorded lecture; one would think that Smithsonian academics would do a little more research into their subjects...but I guess we're all only human.)

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institute, 2008. Softcover, 160 pages, approx. 6.5 x 9". Color and B&W images.

 

FAME: Portraits of Celebrated People / FAME 2: Portraits and Pop Culture

Brad Benedict's two FAME volumes capture some of the most iconic images from the seventies and eighties, with works from such legends as Andy Warhol, David Byrd, George Stavrinos, Charles White III, Patrick Nagel, David Willardson, William Shirley, Doug Johnson, and Philip Hays, among many others. The books are not historical accounts of illustration per se, but rather compilations of celebrity portraiture during that period -- the last great era of illustration, before the digital age. Richard Amsel's work figures prominently in both volumes, and Benedict explains in his preface of FAME 1 that he knew many of the artists personally.

FAME: Harmony Books, 1980. Hardcover, 120 pages, approx. 9.8 x 9.7". Color and B&W images. (A subsequent paperback edition was published in 1983.)

FAME 2: Grove Press, 1984. Paperback, 109 pages, approx 8.4 x 5.8". Color and B&W images.

 

I've posted Amazon links to these publications here, but they can be pretty hard to come by. For copies of "Richard Amsel: A Retrospective," I also recommend reaching out directly to the University of the Arts.