Steve McQueen Smoke Break Framed Black & White 1963 Photograph

A rare, effortlessly cool moment with the man who would soon become the king of cool. This striking black and white photograph captures Steve McQueen taking a smoke break during a motorcycle race in 1963, alongside his close friend Bud Ekins - legendary stuntman and McQueen’s partner in adventure (and the rider behind the famous jump in The Great Escape).

Taken in the spring of 1963, McQueen was right on the edge of superstardom, fresh off The Magnificent Seven and only months away from cementing his myth with The Great Escape. Intrigued by McQueen’s dramatic past and his real-life obsession with speed, cars, motorcycles, and rugged freedom, LIFE magazine sent celebrated photographer John Dominis to California to document the actor’s off-screen world.

What Dominis captured over three weeks - more than 40 rolls of film - is almost impossible to imagine today: unguarded access, raw charisma, and a man living exactly as he appeared on screen. Camping with friends, racing through the desert, chasing thrills from morning to night… McQueen wasn’t performing. He was the story. Beautifully framed and full of cinematic history, this piece brings a bold, timeless edge to any space - perfect for lovers of film, design, motorcycles, and American legend.

“I’d rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth."

“With strangers, I can’t breathe. But I dig my old lady.”

Black wood frame with glass, white matt. 11.5" H x 9.5" W