Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
A dazzling Hollywood glamour pastel portrait of the always radiant Carole Lombard by Zoe Mozert used as the cover for the April 1936 edition of Screen Book Magazine. This published cover illustration is signed lower right and matted behind glass in its original limed wood and black enamel painted art deco moderne frame. Really a […]
Artist: Zoe Mozert
A large c. 1936 signed pastel portrait by Zoe Mozert of the Hollywood film star Loretta Young from about the time of her starring turn in Ramona. Zoe Mozert was a much in demand Hollywood film magazine cover artist during the pre-code years of Hollywood tinsel town glamour. She later settled into a long and […]
Artist: Zoe Mozert
This 1937 dazzling and fresh (both in scene and technique) original mixed medium illustration painting by George Petty first appeared in Esquire Magazine as a full page color cartoon. It also was published as the first image of a spiral bound folio titled “Petty – A Portfolio from Esquire”. One of the crown jewels from the estate of Charles Martignette. The work is framed and matted behind glass and is a defining example of the lithe and modernist Art Deco Petty Girl.
Artist: George Petty
This is a dazzling, masterful original calendar commissioned pastel by Billy Devorss. The large scale, finely rendered artwork was created for the Louis F Dow company, and the lavishly attired young model is the artists wife Gleena. This keenly detailed art deco portrait expertly demonstrates the attention to culture, haute couture fashion, and style that set Devorss apart from his contemporaries. Pastel is properly lined and matted and comes framed in a lavish gold gilt carved fine museum quality frame.
Artist: Billy DeVorss
Andre Durenceau, the French-American illustrator and muralist, mines his Jewish heritage in this symbolist 1950s imagining of the sanctuary of a synagogue. Evoking horror and hope, this severe surrealist image presents a vision of resurrection in the aftermath of World War II. The oil on canvas is technically refined, and filled with historically resonant Judaica imagery from biblical to modern times. This piece, titled Invitation, has both the scope of mural art and the narrative detail of magazine illustration.
Artist: Andre Durenceau
This original cover painting by noted Russian American illustrator Constantin Alajalov was created for the March 21, 1936 edition of The New Yorker magazine. In the scene, what remains of a crowd of concert goers (most seem to have already taken to the exits) respond in typically divergent ways to a hunched over “lost in the moment” concert pianist who has turned away from the immortal sounds of Johann Bach to offer likely more personal yet less successful selections. Alajalov created over 70 covers in his iconic style for this Conde-Nast publication and also contributed cover art for The Saturday Evening Post.
Artist: Constantin Alajalov
A rare surviving mixed medium calendar commissioned painting for “American Art Works Company”. A Great Depression-era 1930s art deco work by L. Goddard of a lovely young Indian maiden drawing back cupid’s bow and taking aim. This large impressive work is beautifully framed and matted and ready to hang in a period ornate carved wood gold frame.
Artist: L. Goddard
A delicately rendered pastel on illustration board by Henry Clive, capturing an exotic pretty nude pin-up model with ruby red lips envisioned as a sleeping beauty. This captures effortlessly the prolific artist’s unique take on feminine allure. We believe this to be an unpublished illustration, retains its handsome hand carved wood gallery frame and is handsomely cloth matted and lined behind glass.
Artist: Henry Clive
Pre-code Hollywood starlet Verna Hillie is the subject of this erotically charged pastel portrait which was likely used as a cover for the title Reel Movie Fun, a short lived wild and racy publication. Pastel is dated and signed on the back and the sitter is identified in the artist’s hand as seen.
Artist: Cardwell Higgins
This early 1930s pastel by frequent Golden Age of Hollywood female cover artist Mila Baine, shows a radiant and stylish Norma Shearer looking smart, crisp and alluring. Likely a cover for the title Movie Mirror, for whom Blaine worked often during the period. Handsomely matted and framed behind glass in a fine period frame. Handsomely matted and framed behind glass in a fine period frame.
Artist: Mila Baine
