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Grapefruit Moon Gallery

Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

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Illustration & Advertising Art

The Man Behind The Gun

Artist:Rolf Armstrong
Date:1920
Medium:Oil on Canvas with Applied Paper Map
Dimensions:23" x 34"
Condition:Good
Original Use:Art Supplement New York Tribune Graphic Section
Above: detail view of work
Above: Painting as pictured in PIN -UP DREAMS
Above: The artists signature lower right
Above: Wood stretcher and old canvas as seen verso

A rare early surviving original oil on canvas by the then very young artist, Rolf Armstrong. A World War I patriotic-inspired work that appeared as a full page art supplement on March 7, 1920, on page 2 in the New York Tribune Graphic Section.

The piece may have been also used as a poster design or perhaps a sheet music cover. As was sometimes the case, this rugged boxer with the large chin featured himself as the model.

This is a mixed medium work in that the left side of the detailed map is an actual printed period map that Armstrong adhered to the top of the canvas (he painted in the right area of the map where the text Russia appears). This map has some brittleness and bubbling as seen in the last jpeg photo here could be aided by a good conservationist .

This painting is featured on page 43 of the Michael Wooldridge artist book titled Pin-up Dreams.

Above: Full view with simple original wood frame
Above: Image as seen in the excellent Collectors Guide to Rolf Armstrong

The Man Behind The Gun

Artist: Rolf Armstrong

Filed Under: Illustration & Advertising Art, Sorry, It's Sold
Tagged With: 1920s, american, New York Tribune, original illustration art, patriotic, pin up, poster design, Rolf Armstrong, WWI
Added to Gallery: September 23, 2004

 

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