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Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

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Fine & Decorative Art

An Orientalist Avant-Garde Mask

Artist:Hannes Bok
Date:1940s
Medium:Hand-painted Paper Mache Decorative Mask
Dimensions:14" x 13 1/2"
Condition:Excellent
Original Use:Fine art

Estate stamp on back of mask

An inspired and outrageous, entirely hand painted and created paper-mache decorative mask by Hannes Bok in exuberant, outlandish art deco Egyptian – Orientalist style. One of our favorite illustrators, Bok was born Wayne Woodard and grew up in Duluth, Minnesota. As an adult, the artist carved out a meager living as an illustrator and “part time astrologer.” What we love most about Bok is his steadfast idealism and refusal to conform to the whims and rigors of publishing trends. Not surprisingly Bok died penniless in New York City. As today’s collectors and scholars unearth the lost history of the pulps the star of Hannes Bok burns brighter than at any time during his long and prolific career.

Detail
Detail
Detail
Back of mask

This was likely created as fine art by the talented and unusual Bok, who often put his own spin on what was considered the cutting edge of art and illustration. Other illustrators–most notably W.T. Benda–created masks for various avant-garde dance troops in New York City during the Art Deco jazz-age and most likely, Bok was inspired by Benda’s work to try his own hand at mask making.

An Orientalist Avant-Garde Mask

Artist: Hannes Bok

Filed Under: Fine & Decorative Art, Sorry, It's Sold
Tagged With: 1940s, american, art deco, avant-garde, egyptian, Hannes Bok, mask, Minnesota Artist, orientalist, plastic arts, science fiction
Added to Gallery: April 25, 2011

 

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