Visions of an Artist

Grapefruit Moon Gallery is honored to offer this rare and exceptional original pastel illustration which Henry Clive created for the cover of the Valentines Day edition (February 13, 1937) of “The American Weekly.” Part of Clive’s “Vision of an Artist” series of covers for this Randolph Hearst publication, these Visions illustrated forces of nature such as the tornado and (in this case) Aurora Borealis as mythical images of femininity. The concept of women as natural phenomenon and even natural disasters is something Clive took a personal interest in, as his 6 failed marriages will attest. This enchanting and inventive depiction titled “The Aurora” features favorite Clive model and Randolph Hearst mistress Marion Davies as the goddess of the northern lights, radiating over a polar ice cap.

The Aurora

Artist: Henry Clive

A rare surviving fresh estate find, an original pastel cover done for The American Weekly from a series titled, Visions Of An Artist, circa 1937. This particular series seems to artistically “feminize” natural disasters. Aptly titled “Menace”. Beautifully matted and framed in an expensive gallery frame as seen. This was renamed by the magazine and appeared as a cover under the title “Angry Nature” on Feb 28, 1937. This was unearthed in California recently and was in the estate of Patricia Lake, the rumored illigitimate daughter of Hearst and his long time mistress and confident, Marion Davies.

Angry Nature

Artist: Henry Clive

A rare surviving fresh estate find; an original pastel cover created for The American Weekly from a series titled, Visions Of An Artist, circa 1937. This particular series seems to artistically “feminize” natural disasters and this piece is aptly titled “Maid of the Mist”. Beautifully matted and framed in a period, vintage gesso, antique frame as seen. This was unearthed in California recently and was in the estate of Patricia Lake, the rumored illigitimate daughter of Hearst and his long time mistress and confident, Marion Davies.

Maid of the Mist

Artist: Henry Clive

The American Weekly series, Visions of an Artist, circa 1937. This was one of several American Weekly series that Clive was commissioned to illustrate. This particular series seems to artistically “feminize” natural disasters. Clive carried the momentum of the torando chaos down to his signature in almost a Salvador Dali fashion.