Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
A lurid spicy pulp cover oil painting by Allen Anderson
created as the cover of the February 1943 edition of Speed Western Stories, Volume #1 Issue #2 (Trojan Publishing, Chicago). A rare surviving example of Western themed spicy pulp cover art, this was unearthed along with two additional original cover paintings by Allen Anderson that had for many years been displayed at the Cimarron Dude Ranch in Peekskill, New York.
Artist: Allen Anderson
Allen Anderson created this damsel in distress, Western spicy pulp oil on canvas painting as the cover of the April 1943 edition of Speed Western Stories, Volume #1 Issue #4 (Trojan Publishing, Chicago). This vivid and rare surviving example of lurid spicy pulp cover art was unearthed by Grapefruit Moon Gallery along with two additional original cover paintings by Allen Anderson that had for many years been displayed at the Cimarron Dude Ranch in Peekskill, New York.
Artist: Allen Anderson
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 radiant and lushly executed fine art nude oil painting by the well listed female Hungarian artist Maria Szantho, who had a long and decorated career both overseas in Europe and here in the United States. Szantho created three oil paintings depicting her homeland of Hungary for the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City. This is among the prettiest examples of her nude portraiture we have seen. Painting is housed in a hand carved basswood gold leafed museum quality frame.
Artist: Maria Szantho
One of two 1930s oil on stretched canvas paintings we have acquired by Robert T. Riley, a New York state fine artist and illustrator who worked in a social realist / WPA bleak stylized Regionalist aesthetic. In this expressive work, Riley evokes the anxieties caused by a football injury as a player is carted off the field, capturing the multitude of pained expressions on the faces of those gathered. This somber, painting was created during the depths of the Great Depression and it offers bleak commentary on the hardships endured by all men.
Artist: Robert Riley
This signed 1936 watercolor by an unidentified artist presents a haunting look at the life of an urban bohemian in Greenwich village New York. Mixing the malaise and grit of Great Depression-era NY with romantic nostalgia for the artist’s communities that flourished during the Ashcan school-period of the early 20th century, this scene presents a view of an artist attempting to find inspiration at the sight of his muse, a sensuously posed nude model, but sinking into debauchery as he cradles a drink in one hand with a tawdry book titled Eros laying on his table. On his wall, unseen by either the artist or model, are his previous creations, including a likeness of the napping dog at his feet. This is an inspired work of urban realism, that dates to the WPA period where unflinching looks at the hidden corners pf life were becoming an increasingly popular topic for the finest American artists.
Artist: Unknown
A brilliantly rendered pen & ink illustration by the legendary New York City illustrator Al Hirschfeld. In this tightly rendered “two worlds collide” image in which by the Russian populist poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko embraced by America as represented by cultural icon Bob Hope. The scene offers a lighter look at the Cold War tensions that occurred as politically active Soviet poets gained prominence in the US.
Artist: Al Hirschfeld
A rare and whimsically delightful surviving cover painting from the golden age of illustration by Theodore Haupt, which appeared on the cover of The New Yorker; January 28, 1928. This painting captures the fun and folly of New York City in a severe art deco zig-zag aesthetic. During the busy wintertime wonderland shopping crush, a window dresser is shown feverishly attiring a nude store mannequin as snow covered throngs watch in delight. Haupt illustrated forty four covers for The New Yorker between 1927 and 1933.
Artist: Theodore Haupt
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.
Artist: Harrison Fisher
An inventive and forward thinking “progress through industry” original gouache illustration painting by Theodore Haupt. This was commissioned by The New Yorker magazine and used as their May 2, 1931 cover. The imagery attempts to put a positive spin on the Great Depression using modernism, industry and the technological advances of the Machine Age as rallying points in this bustling New York City cityscape. Haupt illustrated forty four covers for The New Yorker between 1927 and 1933.
Artist: Theodore Haupt
