1931 Original Advertising Painting for The Champ by Artist Max Baker

The offered original advertising artwork by Max Baker was produced to promote the 1931 film The Champ, starring Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper. The picture tells the story of a washed-up alcoholic boxer (Beery) attempting to put his life back together for the sake of his young son (Cooper). The film was nominated for Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director, and Beery won the Oscar for Best Actor. The image created borrows from the film's title lobby card artwork of Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper sitting forlornly together on the curb. Max Baker was an American illustration artist noted for creating artwork for Hollywood film advertising. During this seminal period in Hollywood, there were often a myriad of promotional pieces produced to promote movies besides just standard movie posters. The offered original painting is an excellent example of this genre of marketing pieces. Other pieces created by Baker that have surfaced at auction include advertisements for Sadie Thompson starring Gloria Swanson (1928) and The Unholy Garden starring Ronald Coleman (1931). The gouache on board measures 20 x 30 inches and presents with several areas chipping and scuffing, but mostly to the edges. Excellent condition.