Grapefruit Moon Gallery

Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

voodoo

The original cover painting by H.W. McCauley used for the August 1953 cover of “Fate, True Stories of the Strange and Unknown”, illustrating “The Gods of Voodoo” by North Hildabrand. In this offering a dancing pin-up girl levitates oblivious to the black magic and darkness that lurks in the background where a goat is about to get sacrificed in a voodoo ritualistic fire blazing act, creating the collision of beauty and darkness which is in essence what makes the pulp cover paintings by H.J. Ward, H.W. McCauley, Virgil Finlay and other American illustrators fascinating and so desirable today.

The Gods of Voodoo

Artist: Harold McCauley

A photo-realist, kinetic original oil on board by James Bama. This painting, created as a cover for Stag Magzine, illustrates the outlandish true story of Faustin Wirkus, an American soldier who became king of a small island off Haiti in 1906. Faustus was made famous in the 1930s book “The Magic Isle” and was a cult figure thereafter. Interior text reads in part “For five fabulous years, by order of the U.S. Marine Corps, he ruled the mid-ocean island- voodoo, personal harem and all.” Work is unsigned but article credits art by James Bama, magazine is included in sale.

The Strange Kingdom of Marine Sgt. Wirkus

Artist: James Bama

This large and colorful noir montage by Alexander Sharpe Ross was created as an interior illustration for a mid 1950’s American mainstream slick magazine. Ross was a leading American illustrator of the time with work featured on the covers of Good Housekeeping, The Saturday Evening Post, Ladies Home Journal and Colliers. Along with a handful of key illustrators — Coby Whitmore, John Whitcomb, Al Parker, and Norman Rockwell — Ross helped create an indelible image of Americans in the post WWII decades.

Mid-Century Voodoo Doll

Artist: Alex Ross

 

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