1900s

This is an intriguing topical French magazine illustration depicting a decadent French woman enjoying five different forms of illumination as she goes through various stages of undress. Providing commentary on the onset of modernity in fin-de-siècle France through the metaphor illustrated mistress of the house who is seen with a broadening smile and increasingly confident demeanor as she lives with the at the time shockingly new conveniences, this is a bold and striking illustration by the controversial French cartoonist Gil Baer.

Fin De Siecle, Illuminated

Artist: Gil Baer

Who were the artist’s models and muses whose faces and figures are instantly recognizable to lovers of early 20th century art and photography? It’s a question we at Grapefruit Moon Gallery ask ourselves often, and the more we learn about them the more fascinating they become. To share our passion, we are offering a little vignette […]

Lives of the Muses

A rare surviving pastel by the prolific and inventive early pin-up artist James Ross Bryson. Bryson defined Art Nouveau feminine beauty with his Edwardian views of corseted and lavishly attired, erotic, and bold anti-Victorian maidens. A staff artist for the Thos. D Murphy calendar co., his work also appeared on postcards, advertisements, and magazine covers. Bryson’s strong use of color, and stylized depictions of feminine glamour were heavily influential on art deco pastel artists like Rolf Armstrong, Earl Moran and Zoe Mozert.

Edwardian Beauty in Green

Artist: J. Ross Bryson

A macabre and dark highly inventive large format gouache illustration painting by Harrison Fisher used as a full color book plate in the 1907 edition of “A Dream of Fair Women” by Lord Alfred Tennyson. In this scene our maiden fair has just completed lent and prepares to give the devil his due and go out ballroom dancing in revealing for the day, corseted attire. This is a classic Harrison Fisher painting and a wonderful and historically impactful example of late Victorian period imagery where traditional customs are seen colliding with a less restrained, more promiscuous Edwardian vision of femininity.

Thoughts of Pascal

Artist: Harrison Fisher

A large Victorian watercolor by famed illustrator Albert Beck Wenzell featuring an Art Nouveau virginal beauty surrounded by putti shown in idyllic purity with nimbis overhead. Wenzell is best known for his 1903 illustrated book The Passing Show. He also created stunning murals for the New Amsterdam Theater in New York City at the turn of the last century and was a cover artist for leading early 20th century magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post.

Victorian Virgin with Cherubs

Artist: Albert Wenzell

This is original artwork by the legendary art nouveau illustrator, Raphael Kirchner. This piece was commissioned for a turn-of-the-century postcard. Kirchner was revered for his sensual and sexually-provocative “Kirchner Girls”. These appeared monthly in La Vie Parisienne, a notorious French publication. Kirchner was perhaps best known as a postcard illustrator. This is a wonderfully detailed, stylized art nouveau rendering of a pan flute playing maiden. It is matted in a stunning period frame.

Art Nouveau Kirchner Girl

Artist: Raphael Kirchner

Grapefruit Moon Gallery is proud to offer the second of several original John Louis Rhead Art Nouveau/Belle Epoque-era illustrations only recently acquired from a New York estate. This large Thanksgiving Harvest goddess colorful and stylized image is titled November in pencil by the artist on the lower margin. The work is matted and framed in a large period gesso frame. This is an astonishing and rare surviving document from this American poster master. Rhead’s work appeared alongside Alphonse Mucha, Jules Cheret and Toulouse Latrec pieces in Les Maîtres de l’Affiche (Masters of Posters) folios at the turn of the last century.

November

Artist: Louis Rhead

Fresh from a New York estate, Grapefruitmoongallery is proud to offer the first of several original John Louis Rhead Art Nouveau/Belle Epoque-era illustrations. This large harvest goddess image was exhibited at The Twenty-First Annual Exhibition Architectural League of New York 1900. The work is matted and framed in a large period gesso frame. An astonishing and rare surviving document from this American poster master. Rhead’s work appeared alongside Alphonse Mucha, Jules Cheret and Toulouse Latrec pieces in “Les Maîtres de l’Affiche” (Masters of Posters) folios at the turn of the last century.

Autumn

Artist: Louis Rhead

A large and bold, early 20th century patriotic German David and Goliath scene, by one of the defining “official” painters of the German empire and later, the Third Reich. This classically styled, expertly rendered scene features a highly eroticized nude David standing strong against the imposing Goliath force. This deeply allegorical mythical painting pronounces the vitality and virility of the German nation, a theme which dominated Nationalist German art throughout the late 19th and early 20th century, even as more abstract movements like German Sucessionism and the Jugendstihl gained prominence internationally.

David and Goliath

Artist: Arthur Kampf

A very fine arts & crafts, art nouveau aesthetic erotic nude Trumeau Mirror. The nude model is Evelyn Nesbit, the notorious Girl In The Red Velvet Swing. Manufactured by Morris & Bendien, New York and titled Fountain Of Youth. Retains its original and flat out great “bat wing,” pie-crust E.S. Curtis-esque gesso frame, with original verso paper and title on back panel as seen.

The Fountain of Youth

Artist: Morris & Bendien N.Y.

« Previous Page