We are pleased to share a historic original poster
in mint condition for any fan of the 70's.
' Farrah Fawcett (1976) '
Original authentic Farah Fawcett poster with
printed signature in mint condition.
This pinup poster, which showcased Fawcett's wholesome beauty and sex appeal, would be prominently placed on millions of bedroom and dorm room walls across the
United States and around the world.
Fawcett exerted control over her photos.
After she'd been disappointed by the work of two other photographers, she suggested to Pro Arts that freelance photographer Bruce McBroom, with whom she'd worked before, get the assignment. Pro Arts wanted Fawcett to wear a bikini, but instead, she opted for one-piece swimwear (this was what she normally wore, in part because she preferred to conceal a scar on her stomach that dated from childhood).
The photoshoot for Fawcett's poster took place at her Los Angeles home — on a hot summer day in 1976.
There were no stylists; Fawcett did her own hair and makeup. The different swimsuits she put on were from
her closet, not provided by designers. And instead of following the directions she'd been given to create
" sexy " images, she decided, " I'll just do it the
way I want."
Though Fawcett looked great throughout the day, as the hours passed McBroom felt he hadn't yet taken the right photo. He'd then asked Fawcett, " You know how you look best. Is there anything else that you’ve got that we haven’t shot? " When she came back wearing a form-fitting red swimsuit, McBroom thought it was perfect. He realized he had a blanket from Mexico in his truck that would make an ideal backdrop. After retrieving the blanket, he asked Fawcett to get comfortable and began shooting
with his last roll of color film.
The deal that Fawcett struck allowed her to select the photos to be considered for the poster. After reviewing McBroom's shots, she had a favorite that she marked with a star. In this picture, a gleaming smile flashed from her tanned face, which was surrounded by her tousled golden hair. Fawcett's red swimsuit wasn't overly revealing in her seated pose, but her nipples were clearly outlined by the red fabric of her swimwear.
Fawcett sent that image along with a few other photos that she liked, so the team at Pro Arts got to decide which shot to use. But in the end, they followed Fawcett's instincts.
It was a wise choice: the poster was an instant hit when
it went on sale in 1976. By March 1977, five million
copies had been sold. Devoted fans of the poster were convinced they could see the word " sex " spelled out
in the waves of Fawcett's hair.
Fawcett's famous swimsuit poster went on to sell more than 12 million copies, making it a boundary-breaking bestseller. She would earn $400,000 in royalties from the poster, dwarfing the $5,000 she received per episode of Charlie's Angels during her one season on the show.
Though she would have other accomplishments, this swimsuit photo was always a big part of Fawcett's story, just as it was a big part of the story of the 1970s.
In 2011, two years after her death, Fawcett's red swimsuit and a copy of her iconic poster were donated to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
to join its collection of culturally significant objects.
Poster been linen backed to help preserve it.
Only one available!
Measures approx. 25 5/8" x 33 3/4"
in a black lacquer frame.
Gallery price $1595.
Farrah Fawcett poster today.
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