ORIGINAL SET DESIGN FROM "BEN HUR" CHARIOT RACE HIPPODROME SET

Description

AN ORIGINAL SET DESIGN PAINTING FROM MGM'S EPIC MOTION PICTURE "BEN HUR"
1959
THIS PAINTING IS INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE!  IT IS A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL DETAILED SET STUDY THAT IS A HAND PAINTED GOUACHE AND INK RENDERED ON ARTIST BOARD  OF ONE OF THE GIANT BRONZE GLADIATOR STATUES  FROM THE SPECTACULAR "CHARIOT RACE ARENA SET" IN  MGM'S EPIC "BEN HUR".  THE HIPPODROME SET BUILT FOR THE BRILLIANT  17 MINUTE CHARIOT RACE WAS THE LARGEST SINGLE SET EVER CREATED FOR A MOTION PICTURE AT THAT TIME.  IT WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE SET EVER CREATED FOR A MOVIE AND ACCOUNTED FOR MILLION DOLLARS OF ITS .1 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET.  IT TOOK UP 18 ACRES, WAS 2,000' LONG, AND WAS 65' WIDE.  THERE ARE FOUR OF THESE ENORMOUS BRONZE GLADIATORS THAT ADORN THE "SPINA" (THE MIDDLE WALL THAT DIVIDES THE ARENA IN HALF) AND EACH ONE ROSE AN ENORMOUS 30' ABOVE THE TERRACOTTA HIPPODROME.  BEHIND THE STATUE IS RENDERED THE LARGE OBELSIK THAT STANDS IN THE MIDDLE.  THERE ARE ALSO VARIOUS HUMAN FIGURES, URNS, AND ORNAMENTS IN THE SCENE INDICATING SCALE OF THE STRUCTURE.  THERE IS  ALSO A PENCIL DRAFTED STAIRWAY SCHEMATIC IN THE UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER.  THE PIECE MEASURES 11 1/2 X 16 1/4.   THE PAINTING WAS CREATED BY MGM'S ART DEPARTMENT, AS THERE ARE FOUR SMALL PINHOLES IN EACH CORNER WHICH INDICATES THAT IT WAS USED FOR SCENE STUDY.  THEY DO NOT OBSCURE ANY OF THE BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK.   "BEN HUR" SWEPT THE ACADEMY AWARDS WITH 11 WINS INCLUDING ONE FOR "ART DIRECTION".  THE CHARIOT RACE IS A BREATHTAKING SEVENTEEN MINUTE ACTION SEQUENCE OF BRILLIANT STAGING, PHOTOGRAPHY, EDITING AND GRANDEUR, COMBINING DRAMA, COSTUMES, SPECTACLE...AND NO DIALOGUE OR MUSIC...JUST THE SOUND OF RACING HORSES AND CHARIOTS!.   THE INTIMIDATING GIANT GLADIATOR STATUES ARE HIGHLY VISIBLE IN MANY SHOTS.
IT IS ANOTHER RARE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A PIECE OF RARE HOLLYWOOD MEMORABILIA FROM WHAT IS UNDENIABLY THE MOST SPECTACULAR SET EVER CREATED FOR THE GREATEST ACTION SEQUENCE EVER DESIGNED AND PRODUCED FOR A MOTION PICTURE.  IT IS NOT ONLY A ONE-OF-A-KIND  HOLLYWOOD TREASURE, BUT ALSO A BEAUTIFUL WORK OF ART THAT STANDS BY ITSELF..."INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE"
THE GALLERY PICTURES...
I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THE SPINA SET AND LOCATED THESE PHOTOGRAPHS.  THEY TELL THE TALE OF THE PAINTING OFFERED
THE FIRST ONE SHOWS A SWEEPING PAN SHOT AND YOU CAN SEE THE 2 KNEELING HELMETED GLADIATORS WITH THE TALL OBELISK WHICH STANDS BETWEEN THEM..
THE SECOND PHOTOGRAPH IS A TIGHTER SHOT SHOWING THE SAME.  YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE STAIRCASE LEADING UP TO THE HIGHER PLATFORM.
THE THIRD PHOTOGRAPH IS A PAN RENDERING OF ONE HALF OF THE SPINA,  PROBABLY DONE BY THE SAME ARTIST.  YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE A SMALLER VERSION OF THE SAME BRONZE GLADIATOR.  I DO NOT OWN THIS PIECE!  I WISH I DID.  IT IS NOT, I REPEAT IT IS NOT PART OF THIS SALE!!!   I SHOW IT SO YOU SEE THE SCOPE OF ONE HALF OF THE SPINA, AND BECAUSE IT ALSO INCLUDES A LESS DETAILED SMALLER VERSION OF THE AX WIELDING HELMETED GLADIATOR, AND THE OBELISK THAT RISES BETWEEN THEM.
THE FOURTH PHOTOGRAPH IS OF HESTON AND HIS WHITE TEAM BEING FILMED IN "THE PARADE OF CHARIOTS" THAT PRECEDES THE RACE. THE STATUE IS BEHIND THE BRILLIANT DOLPHIN LAP MARKERS.
THE FIFTH PHOTO IS A VERY TIGHT SHOT OF THE DOLPHINS  AND THE GLADIATOR'S FACE.  NOTE THAT THE FIRST TWO DOLPHINS ARE FULLY DOWN INDICATING THAT TWO LAPS AROUND THE SPINA  HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
THE 6TH AND LAST PHOTOGRAPH IS A VERY BITTERSWEET CAPTURE OF TWO OF THE MAGNIFICENT GLORIOUS WARRIOR'S HEADS AND FACES FROM THE SET.  WHAT NOW EXISTS OF THEM SITS OUTSIDE, IN THE ELEMENTS, IN FRONT OF ROME'S CINECITTA STUDIO WHERE "BEN HUR" WAS FILMED.  IRONICALLY, THE MAN STANDING IN FRONT OF THEM IS AN OLDER  BRAD HARRIS, AN  AMERICAN BODYBUILDER/ACTOR WHO ALSO STARRED AS HERCULES, SAMPSON, AND GOLIATH IN MANY OF THE ITALIAN PEPLUM MOVIES ALSO FILMED AT CINECITTA..  IN THE STATUES SHOULDER, YOU  SEE THE DECAY AND DAMAGED PLASTER AND WOOD. THE BRONZE GLADIATORS WERE CREATED BY THE MOST SKILLED AND BRILLIANT ITALIAN PLASTER SCULPTORS WHO WERE HIRED TO CONSTUCT THE "BEN HUR".SETS FROM WOOD, WIRE, AND PLASTER.   NOW THOSE GIANTS THAT ONCE TOWERED GLORIOUSLY OVER HOLLYWOOD'S MOST MAGNIFICENT SINGLE CHARIOT RACE STILL STARE AT US IN SILENT DEFIANCE WHILE WE STILL LOOK UP AT THEM IN AWE.  ONE OF A KIND!  MOVIE MEMORABILIA LIKE THIS RARELY APPEARS..
THEY MADE MOVIES THEN...NO CGI..."BEN HUR".WAS, AND STILL IS, AND ALWAYS WILL...BE ONE OF THE GREATEST.
"LOOK...LOOK FOR THEM...IN THE VALLEY...OF THE LEPERS!  IF YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THEM!  IT GOES ON.  IT GOES ON, JUDAH.  THE RACE...THE RACE...IS NOT OVER!"
PROVENANCE:      "A CENTURY OF MOVIE MAGIC CURATED BY TCM" AUCTION        BONHAM'S NYC AND LA       NOVEMBER 25, 2013          LOT 188
"never live with regret"...
Hello.  By way of introduction and for your information, I am TMQPOSTERS.
Everything that you will see on my EBay Selling List is from my personal private collection.  I started collecting NEW and VINTAGE ORIGINAL MOVIE POSTERS (especially GONE WITH THE WIND,  STAR WARS,
all SPIELBERG, DISNEY, ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS, BATMAN, LORD OF THE RINGS, HARRY POTTER,
CULT, CAMP, TRASH, ETC!!!) since I was a 27 year old in 1976 when I moved and lived in NYC.
All the posters (even the originally folded ones) have been rolled in tubes and stored in a temperature controlled environment from the time I purchased each one.
Needless to say, it is a diverse and eclectic collection of over 650 POSTERS.   I also collected ANIMATION ART, specifically ORIGINAL DISNEY HAND PAINTED PRODUCTION BACKGROUND PAINTINGS that went under camera in the filming of Disney movies.  I will not knowingly misrepresent the pieces I put on EBay.
All the photographs you see of my posters and art are ones that I have taken, not downloaded from other online sites. I will gladly answer all questions, discuss shipping, etc.
Whether you're a fan, collector, dealer, and/or looking for an investment piece this is a great opportunity.
The Movie and Theatre Poster and Animation Art I offer will be interesting, diverse, original and in many cases a rare opportunity for any collector.  Yes, some are Museum quality pieces, or obviously will be.
I am now 71 years young, downsizing, and divesting myself of this collection just as enthusiastically as when I started accumulating this wonderful brilliant trash. Thanks for your interest.
And wait till you see what will be "COMING SOON TO A THEATRE NEAR YOU!!!"
Too often in life we regret not doing things that we are able to do, for whatever reason, when we are presented with the opportunity to do so.  I say “Never live with regret”.
TMQPOSTERS.
.
Shipping:  3/26/11.  THE COST OF SHIPPING IS NOW OUTRAGEOUS.  THE AMOUNT CHARGED REFLECTS ONLY THE COST OF PROPER PACKING, INSURANCE, AND THE COST OF SHIPPING.
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