A rare surviving cover painting by the prolific and flamboyant artist Henry Clive who worked as an illustrator for Randolph Hearst for nearly three full decades creating covers for The American Weekly. This is one of the very last paintings Clive completed for Hearst, part of a series of pin-up girl cover images depicting “The Girl Who Inspired The Song”. Pictured is Mademoiselle From Armentieres, a coyly seductive beauty with mischief in her eyes. The song she embodies is easily the most notorious World War 1 war tune, a legendary X-Rated ribald tale. Clive’s beauty was originally published on June 5, 1949, after the initial publication in The American Weekly the artist slightly reworked the background of the gouache, removing the lace arms of the dress seen in the printed cover, creating an altogether less wholesome, risqué pin-up girl rendering. He also toned down the tri-color background which evoked the French flag in its original appearance. Clive likely pitched this slightly reworked sexier version as a stand alone pin-up in hopes of obtaining a second paycheck on the same artwork–a common practice among working illustrators. The art is handsomely framed in a handsome period gesso frame behind glass, a complete very fine edition of the published magazine is included in the sale.