UPDATE 11.17.19
Listen to the 11.14.19 episode of The Hirschfeld Century podcast for some important context on the cultural impact of Hirschfeld and the connection between his art and leading artists in animation.
This podcast is Hirschfeld Foundation Creative Director David Leopold giving an audio tour of an exhibition at the Harmonie Club in New York. The link below will take you to a page where you can find more info on the exhibit and links to the images there.
I'm mentioning this podcast episode here because it features two important highlights --
1) The first 2 mins of this episode are an outstanding recap of Hirschfeld's cultural impact, listing touchstones such as his 75-year relationship with the New York Times, 2 Tony Awards, 15 US postage stamps, books that he authored as well as book and album cover art he produced -- not to mention being declared a living legend in his own lifetime by the Library of Congress. This intro also lists some of the major public collections that have Hirschfeld art, such as the Met, the Whitney, the Museum of Modern Art and the National Portrait Gallery.
(Later in the podcast, David also explains how the sale of the originals helps to fund an arts program built around the life of Hirschfeld. Since Hirschfeld lived to be almost 100, his art career covered major events in US history as well as landmark theatrical productions. He did illustrations of historical figures in US and world events for magazines and newspapers. )
2) At appx 27 mins into the episode, David describes this 1980 litho of the American Ballet Theatre (below). David explains why dance is a subject that best captures the magic of Hirschfeld -- and gives 2 important reasons why for over 80 years animators have studied his work.
a) Hirchfeld's ability to capture character in so few lines -- this is a vital skill for animators to have and understand
b) Hirschfeld's drawings have life and movement. He can do in a single line what it takes animators 24-frames to communicate.
These and more observations on the connection between Hirchfeld and classic animation can be heard at this point in the episode.
UPDATE 11.13.19
Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy the exhibit, one night only at the Animation Guild in Burbank. Here are some photos from that evening...
SNB team works along with Hirschfeld Foundation Creative Director David Leopold (below r) and Archives Manager Katherine Marshall-Eastman (below l). Photo from Hirschfeld Century Podcast website.
to bring this special event to So Cal.
Some of the originals from this 2019 show...
Below is the sketch of Baby Nina reference in the Foundation Newsletter (further down in this post)..
This color piece was a crowd favorite..
Not only to attendees get to see the originals up close -- but they have time to talk with David Leopold, who is the leading scholar on Hirschfeld and was the artist's personal assistant from the early 1990s until Hirschfeld's death in 2003.
David and archives manager Katherine also co-host the educational and highly entertaining Hirschfeld Century Podcast:
Information on the exhibition from the Al Hirschfeld Foundation newsletter --
The Al Hirschfeld Foundation Returns to California For Another Pop Up Gallery
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Annie Warbucks
Ink on board, 27 x 21 in., 1993 | |
This has been another extraordinary year for Hirschfeld drawings in the marketplace. In June several wonderful ink on board drawings did very well in sales including the 1942 drawing of Othello with Paul Robeson, Jose Ferrer and Uta Hagen which sold at auction for more than $68,000.
So it is our pleasure to partner again with Stuart Ng Books to bring a one night only exhibition and sale to the Los Angeles area this Tuesday, November 12th. There will be more than 100 original drawings and paintings on view that span eight decades including works ranging the original cast drawing of Irving Berlin's Louisiana Purchase from 1941 to the cast drawing of Annie Warbucks from 1993.
The event will be held at Tuesday, November 12th, 5pm-9pm at The Animation Guild 1105 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank CA 91505.
This is a unique opportunity to see a number of historic works including Eric Bogosian In Drinking In America (1986); the cover of Hirschfeld by Hirschfeld (1979); a color portrait of Glenn Miller (1946) that first appeared in an early issue of Seventeen; a 1945 Lerner and Loewe musical The Day Before Spring that features an early drawing of Nina on the verso; a rare color cover from The American Mercury of Madam Chiang Kai-Shek (1946), a selection of illustrations for S. J. Perelman books and magazine articles; and some charming drawings from a monthly series for, of all things, Outdoor Life.
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| Rod Serling in The Twilight Zone
Ink on board, 27 x 21 in., 1985 |
What else? There's Phil Silvers, a singing dog, and other cast members from Top Banana (1952); Ray Bolger as a scoutmaster about to sit on a snake (1953);
This special event is one night only so we strongly encourage to come out and see the work and support the Al Hirschfeld Foundation.
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Nothing compares with seeing original art in person. All the images online can never bring you the vibration of connection between you and artwork rendered by the hand of the artist. Not only do you see the finished work -- you often see glimpses of the process in corrections or notations.
(original below will be at the show!)
Want to see art that inspires the leading artists in their fields?
Want to have a rare art exhibit experience that you can share with friends and colleagues.
Don't. Miss. This!
Watch this space for preview images of originals at this show..
Details from the Facebook events page post:
"The Al Hirschfeld Foundation and Stuart Ng Books are mounting an all new pop-up exhibition of original art by the legendary illustrator and caricaturist.
An Exhibition and Sale of Al Hirschfeld Original Art
One Night Only!
Tuesday, November 12th
5pm-9pm
The Animation Guild
1105 N Hollywood Way
Burbank CA 91505
A rare opportunity to see original drawings and paintings, spanning the 1940s to the '90s, by the 20th century's most renowned caricaturist.
Every piece on display will also be for sale. Proceeds from the sale of this artwork benefit the non-profit Al Hirschfeld Foundation and its mission to promote interest in the visual and dramatic arts.
David Leopold, Creative Director of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, and Katherine Marshall-Eastman, Archives Manager, will be present.
Visitors to our previous exhibitions know that we have never repeated an illustration and every show is unique. So you do not want to miss this truly once in a lifetime opportunity!"
