The distinguished American artist and illustrator Walt Otto created this glitzy magic-themed original published pin up oil on canvas calendar painting in the late 1950's. A curvy mid-century brunette heart-breaker with a smile that's all magic takes center stage in "The Swami told me he could teach me some new tricks." A published vintage calendar top of the image is included with sale. The published image differs very slightly from how the canvas appears today, the artist removed the star studded throne that appears in the lithograph, making the magician's assistant appear to float in mid-air, and moved his signature from atop the model's foot to a lower location. Otto likely made these small changes after the publication of the calendar in an attempt to re-commission the work for another paid use.

Provenance: verso bears stamp from the Louis K. Meisel Gallery in New York City. Meisel co-authored the 1996 Tasschen Books title The Great American Pin-up with Charles Martignette.