Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
This is a fabulous example of Gil Elvgren’s pin-up work for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company of Saint Paul, MN. This was created and published in 1955 with the title of Welcome Traveler and is one of the finest Elvgren paintings this gallery has offered. A pretty redhead perched on a tweed […]
Artist: Gil Elvgren
A large, luminous, and otherworldly gouache illustration most likely created for Redbook Magazine, verso is dated January 1958. A most awkward wedding day depiction where seemingly the groom new the bride and the bride’s maid of honor when they used to rock and roll. A dazzling work by one of our favorite artists in a rainbow inspired color palette that only Georgi could have conceived. Beautifully matted and framed in a period gold gesso frame.
Artist: Edwin Georgi
A spectacular and otherworldly Edwin Georgi gouache painting on illustration board in a color palette so unusual it could only have been envisioned by this particular artist. A pair of lovers literally and metaphorically going different ways in their relationship sensing the distance between them, both nattily attired and icy cold in disposition. Published in an as of yet determined slick magazine (likely Redbook or Cosmopolitan) as a full color interior story illustration circa 1950s.
Artist: Edwin Georgi
An unpublished original pastel by Rolf Armstrong of model Dea Jamel Smith, a pretty young dancer from Julliard who Armstrong worked with extensively during the 1920’s and early 30s as she had the face and physique of the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz-age. This work was never published, we acquired it from the model’s descendants. Armstrong really excelled at these pastel close-up portraits, this is a lovely and fresh to the market example that captures the allure of the flapper girl effortlessly with a blue eyed flirty smile.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
An early cover pastel by Rolf Armstrong that served as the cover for The January 1916 issue of “American Magazine” featuring a lovely portrait of artist’s model Betty Lester. While Armstrong is best known today as “The Father of America Pin-up”, he created hundreds of covers for American magazines with titles as diverse as Photoplay, College Humor, The Saturday Evening Post and American Magazine.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Grapefruit Moon Gallery is honored to be able to offer “Ye Chiseler – Yo Ho Ho And a Bottle of Rum”, a large, commanding, seductive and masterful mural created by Henry Clive, to our eyes the finest illustrator working in jazz age Hollywood. Along with its companion work “The Infidel” (also available through Grapefruit Moon Gallery), Clive created this masterwork for the tavern of The Masquers Club, a historic and fascinating Hollywood institution.
Artist: Henry Clive
A hauntingly beautiful dated 1919 oil on canvas painting by the American artist and illustrator Charles Allan Winter. A nude Art Nouveau maiden with a purple iris posed in front of mosaic work in a style and aesthetic that recalls Alphonse Mucha. Painting is framed in a completely hand crafted gesso batwing frame that was created specifically to house this jewel of a painting.
Artist: Charles Winter
Modern Venus by Al Moore This is a recently discovered and rare surviving published pin-up calendar painting by the prolific illustrator Al Moore. This was published with the titles “Modern Venus” and “Hold Tight” by The Louis F. Dow Calendar Company of St. Paul, MN; part of their 1954 calendar line. Grapefruit Moon Gallery just […]
Artist: Al Moore
Newly uncovered original Gil Elvgren painting, overpainted by Vaughan Bass. A 1944 oil on canvas for Louis F. Dow.
Artist: Gil Elvgren
In the Spotlight by Edward D’Ancona This is a recently discovered and rare surviving published pin-up calendar painting by the prolific illustrator Edward D’Ancona. This was originally published with the title “In the Spotlight” by The Louis F. Dow Calendar Company of St. Paul, Minnesota. Grapefruit Moon Gallery just unearthed a collection of new-to-the-market pin-up […]
Artist: Edward D'Ancona
