Items Similar to Jesus Christ Superstar poster David Byrd 1971
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 5
David ByrdJesus Christ Superstar poster David Byrd 19711971
1971
About the Item
Vintage original David Byrd illustrated Jesus Christ Superstar poster, 1971:
An original promotional poster for the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical produced by Robert Stigwood. The work is based on Catholic religious store Jesus-as-a-W.A.S.P. imagery with a stained glass border using Celtic motifs. The interlocking angels at the bottom were used as the poster for the show as well as the album cover, in gold on dark maroon. 1st printing, 1971. Considered scarce.
Dimensions: 16 x 30 inches
Very good overall vintage condition
Unsigned from a scarce edition of unknown
Makes for fantastic wall art
David Byrd was born in Springfield, Illinois, in 1926. His father, who suffered from mental illness, left the family when David was a young child. When David was twelve, his mother was forced by economic hardship to abandon him and his five siblings to foster homes. During the next four years, the children lived in three foster homes. A number of David’s paintings document this period of upheaval in his life.
In 1942, David’s mother gathered her children back to her. Working as a ticket seller at a movie theater in Brooklyn, New York, she could barely support them. David had shown artistic ability from an early age, but she was forever worried about money and pressured him to find suitable employment rather than pursue his artistic side.
At seventeen, he joined the Merchant Marines and traveled through Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia before being drafted into the U.S. Army as an artillerist. During this time—World War II—he filled sketchbooks with maritime-themed drawings, and portraits of his fellow sailors and officers.
After the war he studied briefly, through the G. I. Bill, at the Dauphin School of Art in Philadelphia. He continued his studies for two years at the Ozenfant School of Fine Arts on the Lower East Side in New York City. (Amédée Ozenfant was a Parisian painter, influenced by Paul Signac and Le Corbusier, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1938.) Though David did not become a disciple of Ozenfant, one can sense his formality in both composition and sophisticated color relationships. Ozenfant was the most influential mentor in his life.
Throughout the 1950s, David lived in various parts of New York State working odd jobs, mostly low-status positions that allowed him time to paint. He was a deliveryman, janitor, liquor store clerk, movie house usher and, on Coney Island, bartender at a resort. Many of his genre-scene paintings came from this period of listlessness.
In 1958, David took a job as an orderly in the psychiatric ward at the Veterans Administration Medical Hospital in Montrose, New York. For the next 30 years, he worked with doctors and nurses in care of patients whose damage resulted from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. This experience provided him with his defining body of paintings, which related to the patients and their individual behaviors, general routines and distinct personalities. He also painted scenes from his daily commute—views of bridges, waterways, mountains and the regional landmarks of filling stations, cafes and shopping centers.
In 1967, David married Shirley Silverman, a nurse at the V.A. They had a tumultuous relationship that ended in divorce ten years later.
In 1988, at age 62, David retired from the hospital. He purchased 11 acres in Sidney Center, New York, a small hamlet in the Catskills. For four years, he lived in a hunter’s shack while building the stone foundation for his home. An avid scavenger, he salvaged many of his home’s architectural details from abandoned structures. He was also an active bottle collector, attending auctions and shows during this time.
By 1994, with his house more or less complete, David devoted himself full time to painting—largely from memory—the people, places and situations from his past. He also began a series of wood sculptures, some combining found objects, some composed of large wood blocks carved into life-size figures.
Although David was prolific, he never exhibited his work and rarely showed it to anyone. His light filled home in Sidney Center contained almost every work of art he ever created. David had great difficulty forming lasting relationships. Late in life he became reclusive and lived a largely invisible life.
A chance meeting with a neighbor in the fall of 2012 led to David’s first professional exhibition seven months later. He was 87 years old. David Byrd – Introduction: A Life of Observation at the Greg Kucera Gallery in Seattle, Washington, featured 85 paintings, three sculptures and numerous drawings. By the end of the exhibition most of the work had sold. Finally David received the recognition that had eluded him all his life.
Just days before the Seattle show opened, David was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. Despite failing health, he was able to take his first airplane ride and attend the opening. His gallery talk was one of the best attended in Kucera’s history.
Related Categories
Musicals. Broadway show posters. Andrew Lloyd Webber. Jesus Christ. Religion. Biblical. Mythology. Vintage movie posters.
- Creator:David Byrd (1926-2013, American)
- Creation Year:1971
- Dimensions:Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 16 in (40.64 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:NEW YORK, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU354310505472
About the Seller
5.0
Vetted Professional Seller
Every seller passes strict standards for authenticity and reliability
Established in 2014
1stDibs seller since 2016
4,491 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: New York, NY
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllMilton Glaser Stevie Wonder poster 1968 (Milton Glaser posters)
By Milton Glaser
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Milton Glaser Poster for Stevie Wonder at New York's Philharmonic Hall, 1968:
Vintage original 1968 Milton Glaser Stevie Wonder concert poster designed by the legendary designer for...
Category
1960s Pop Art Portrait Prints
Materials
Lithograph, Offset
$394 Sale Price
24% Off
Andy Warhol Most Wanted Men exhibit poster 1988
By Andy Warhol
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Vintage Andy Warhol Most Wanted Men Exhibition Poster: Gagosian Gallery, New York May 1-June 30, 1988:
A rare 1980s large sized Warhol exhibition poster that would look fantastic fr...
Category
1960s Pop Art Prints and Multiples
Materials
Lithograph, Offset
Andy Warhol Edward Kennedy 1980 (benefit announcement)
By Andy Warhol
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Andy Warhol Edward Kennedy 1980:
Original folding announcement card published to benefit, The Kennedy For President Committee / release of Andy Warhol Edward Kennedy silkscreen prin...
Category
1980s Pop Art More Art
Materials
Offset
Shepard Fairey Basquiat screenprint (Basquiat Shepard Fairey)
By Shepard Fairey
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Shepard Fairey Basquiat Screen Print 2010:
Medium: Screen-print in colors.
Dimensions: 18x 24 inches.
Excellent condition with the exception of perhaps some minor signs of handling.
Hand-signed and dated 2010 by Fairey in pencil on the lower right margin (AP printed aside the main edition of 450).
Provenance: acquired from Submarine Films by way of Fairey (Submarine was the distributor of the 2009 Basquiat documentary "Radiant Child" which features this image).
About Shepard Fairey:
Shepard Fairey (American, b. 1970) is a contemporary artist, graphic designer, and illustrator who emerged from the skateboarding scene of Southern California. He first became known for his “André the Giant Has a Posse” sticker Campaign, in which he appropriated images from the supermarket tabloid Weekly World News. His work became more widely known in the 2008 U.S. presidential election with respect to his controversial Barack Obama...
Category
2010s Pop Art Portrait Prints
Materials
Screen
Andy Warhol Mick Jagger (portfolio of 10 Warhol Leo Castelli announcements)
By Andy Warhol
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Andy Warhol Mick Jagger, Leo Castelli gallery 1975:
A stunning set of ten announcement cards published by Castelli Graphics in 1975 to advertise the...
Category
1970s Pop Art Prints and Multiples
Materials
Offset
Keith Haring Rain Dance 1985 (Keith Haring posters)
By Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Keith Haring Rain Dance 1985:
RARE original 1980s Keith Haring illustrated poster announcement for a Keith Haring UNICEF benefit party at Larry Levan’s legendary Paradise Garage...
Category
1980s Pop Art Figurative Prints
Materials
Offset, Lithograph
You May Also Like
DRESSED UP Hand Drawn Lithograph, Abstract Fashion Drawing, Pop Art
By Peter Max
Located in Union City, NJ
DRESSED UP is an original hand drawn lithograph by Peter Max printed in an edition of 280, using traditional hand lithography techniques on archival paper, 100% acid free. DRESSED UP...
Category
1980s Pop Art Figurative Prints
Materials
Lithograph
Peter Blake, To Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Signed/N print British Pop Artist
By Peter Blake
Located in New York, NY
Peter Blake
To Her Majesty, The Queen Elizabeth II, 2016
Color giclee print on wove paper with full margins
11 73/100 × 6 3/5 inches
Pencil signed, titled, dated and numbered 119/150...
Category
2010s Pop Art Portrait Prints
Materials
Pencil, Giclée, Lithograph
Peter Saul, Politics Pop Art Color lithograph 1980s Reagan era Signed X/X Framed
Located in New York, NY
Peter Saul
Politics, 1985
Color lithograph on wove paper
Hand signed, numbered X/X (apart from the regular edition of 25), and dated on the front
Frame Included: matted and framed in...
Category
1980s Pop Art Portrait Prints
Materials
Lithograph
COMPOSITION RED AND GREEN
By Peter Max
Located in Aventura, FL
Hand signed, dated and numbered by the artist. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of Authenticity included. PP edition. All reasonable offers will be considered.
Category
1980s Pop Art Figurative Prints
Materials
Paper, Lithograph
$2,450 Sale Price
30% Off
Andy Warhol Interview Magazine cover (hand signed by John Travolta) Framed
By Andy Warhol
Located in New York, NY
Andy Warhol
Interview Magazine (hand signed by John Travolta), 1985
Offset lithograph (hand signed by John Travolta)
Signed in brown marker by John Travolta, the subject
Frame includ...
Category
1980s Pop Art Portrait Prints
Materials
Lithograph, Offset
Quiet Lake (hand signed lithograph)
By Peter Max
Located in Aventura, FL
Lithograph in colors on paper. Hand signed and numbered by Peter Max. Edition of 350. Image size 9.75 x 12.25 inches. Frame size approx 26 x 28 inches.
Artwork is in excellent c...
Category
2010s Pop Art Figurative Prints
Materials
Paper, Lithograph
$1,715 Sale Price
30% Off
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Large Art Exhibition Poster
Le Corbusier Poster
Le Corbusier Vintage Poster
Vintage Architecture Posters
Vintage 1971 Glass
Jesus Christ
Gold Jesus
Carved Jesus
Christ Child
Jesus Christ Sculpture
Movie Posters Large
Vintage Liquor Art
Large Christ Sculpture
Jesus Christ Large
Asian Children Wood
Mediterranean Wall Sculpture
Vintage Medical Light
Vintage Glass Blocks