portrait

Ruth Chatterton is remembered as one of the most sophisticated beauties of the pre-code era of American film, and her refined and often chilly beauty is showcased wonderfully in this evocative portrait by the renowned Russell Ball. Signed in grease pencil by the photographer, this large format, marginless print was created for Chatterton’s personal collection, and this was printed by Ball himself and captures the spirit of subject, artist, and the art deco moment in which it was created.

A Sophisticated Ruth Chatterton

Artist: Russell Ball

The relationship between Greta Garbo and photographer Clarence Sinclair Bull is perhaps the most storied pairing in the star system of Golden Age Hollywood. Only Bull could coax the immortally sensual and iconic images that defined Garbo from the notoriously shy and reserved star. In this portrait from the 1934 film The Painted Veil, Garbo is seen in profile, with the luscious light and shadow for which the photographer was known.

Greta Garbo From The Painted Veil

Artist: Clarence Sinclair Bull

Shortly after cementing her reputation as a rising ingenue in Hollywood with the role of Wendy in Peter Pan, Mary Brian became one of the most in-demand heroines of the silent film era. In this sweetly romantic, yet sophisticated portrait of the beauty queen, Eugene Robert Richee, the Paramount Pictures studio photographer (best known for his portraits of Louise Brooks) showcases her complex allure.

Mary Brian in The Enchanted Hill

Artist: Eugene Robert Richee

From the personal collection of Joan Crawford, this large format double weight still features the timeless beauty and Hollywood legend at the height of her fame, in a dramatic portrait from Grand Hotel. By George Hurrell, who revolutionized glamour photography with his dramatic art deco portraits of film and theater personalities, this 1932 film still was hand printed by Hurrell for Crawford herself. She later presented the photograph as a gift to her chauffeur. A very rare jazz age view with important and historically intriguing provenance.

Joan Crawford in Grand Hotel

Artist: George Hurrell

A rare and exceedingly beautiful gelatin silver, double weight gallery photograph of film icon Judy Garland, by her favored MGM studio photographer Eric Carpenter. This image utilizes an art deco settee to capture a timeless and glamorous view of the young Garland. This double-weight photograph comes from the personal collection of Garland, and is stamped on verso by her estate as seen. This was hand printed by the photographer for the star, and photographs such as this were never intended for widespread distribution. This is a particularly captivating piece of fine art glamour photography, and captures a marquis film star by a top artist. We are pleased to be able to offer this wonderful photograph and many other large format vintage gallery portraits from the Golden age of Hollywood for sale exclusively through Grapefruit Moon Gallery.

Judy Garland

Artist: Eric Carpenter

Grapefruit Moon Gallery is delighted to offer this spectacularly executed, and exceedingly rare surviving original painting by Henry Clive of the glamorous silent era Hollywood superstar Gloria Swanson. Clive, a staff illustrator at Paramount, executed a series of portraits for for the film studio of stars including Rudolph Valentino, Mae Murray, Pola Negri, Betty Compson, Jackie Coogan and Charlie Chaplin. These portraits graced the lids of 1920s Canco company tins, and this is the only original painting from the series known to exist. It is truly rare treasure from the Lost Era of Hollywood.

Portrait of Gloria Swanson

Artist: Henry Clive

A fine and rare surviving original pastel by Charles Sheldon of the young and lovely Jean Harlow from her early years around the time of her breakthrough role in Howard Hughes’ epic film of 1930 Hells Angels.

Jean Harlow Glamour Pastel

Artist: Charles Sheldon

This Raphael Kirchner Ziegfeld Follies pastel is a newly unearthed piece of New York City theater history, and a once in a generation find. Part of a suite of five illustrations which feature the erotic and luminous showgirls who starred in the legendary theater revue Ziegfeld Follies and made the name synonymous with images of the most beautiful, brazen and sensuous women in early 20th century New York. This portrait of Vivienne Segal hung in the lobby of the historic Century Theater until it shut its doors in 1936.

Vivienne Segal: Ziegfeld Follies Century Girl

Artist: Raphael Kirchner

A fresh to the market lovely portrait painting by Carle J. Blenner in its original to the work handsome American Arts & Crafts ornate gesso frame. This is a fine and untouched example of the artist’s preferred subject matter; female portraiture. This large oil painting finds a dazzling raven haired maiden admiring her beauty in a hand compact. Work retains its original Beard Art Gallery Minneapolis verso exhibit label and the frame is adorned with a period plaque with the artist’s name.

A Raven Haired Beauty

Artist: Carle Blenner

A large and early Zoe Mozert pastel, used as commissioned calendar art in the early 1930s. This illustration is remembered as one of Mozert’s most enduring and well realized images. Featuring a fabulous flapper girl with idealized Jean Harlow like features in a stylish art deco turban, this is a colorful commissioned artwork recently unearthed from a Florida estate.

Irresistible

Artist: Zoe Mozert

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