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Grapefruit Moon Gallery

Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

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Illustration & Advertising Art

Harpooning a Whale

Artist:Douglass Crockwell
Date:1930s
Medium:Oil on Canvas
Dimensions:Sight Size 21" x 19" Framed 24 1/2" x 22 1/2"
Condition:Excellent
Original Use:Moby Dick Advertising Art For Red & White Foods
Full view of oil on stretched canvas
Full view of oil on stretched canvas
The artist's monogram signature
The artist’s monogram signature

This oil on canvas by the well-listed American illustrator Douglass Crockwell offers a regionalist in style look at pre-industrial whaling, evoking the epic Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Created as part of an advertising campaign for the Red & White grocery chain. This original artwork was kept in the company’s archives and presented to an employee named William E. Krapf in 1940 as seen on the gallery label. Work is monogrammed lower right in the artist’s distinct script.

Framed view in original antique arts & crafts frame
Framed view in original antique arts & crafts frame
Tag on original gesso frame
Tag on original gesso frame
Detail
Detail
Verso view of old canvas and pine stretchers and notations
Verso view of old canvas and pine stretchers and notations
Detail of verso notations
Detail of verso notations

Douglass Crockwell was a prolific and gifted illustrator who created several covers for The Saturday Evening Post. Few artists became linked to so many ad campaigns: Welch’s Grape Juice, Coca-Cola, Red & White Foods, Republic Steel, GE, Friskies and many others. His longest ad campaign was for The Brewing Industry Association. Crockwell also made and lectured on experimental avant-garde films.

Harpooning a Whale

Artist: Douglass Crockwell

Filed Under: Illustration & Advertising Art, Sorry, It's Sold
Tagged With: 1930s, advertising, american, art deco, Douglass Crockwell, illustration
Added to Gallery: April 15, 2007

 

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