Heritage--Elvgren and other results

[comix4fun]

I can say without hesitation that even if I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the painting, it would never be permitted to be put up in my home (except maybe my comic book room, and even then maybe not).

 

Well, let's put it this way - if this painting couldn't go up in your home, Elvgren's pin-ups of women looking like they stepped out of a 1950s issue of Playboy or the period equivalent of a Victoria's Secret catalog certainly wouldn't. You and your household are clearly not candidates for the Elvgren market - I didn't mean to imply that everyone would both like his work and not take any offense to it.

 

My point was that, the more risque his paintings are, the more limited the pool of potential buyers. That doesn't mean they will fetch the lowest prices (his nudes have been among his most valued works), but I think the market will accord his pieces with his most classic themes, the broadest appeal and best execution with the highest prices - "I've Been Spotted" has all the right elements to attract the highest amount of money. Elvgren did so many pin-ups of ladies in sheer negligees that it's easy to confuse them, but no one forgets that brilliant red/white dress or that huge orange umbrella.

Just to be clear, I like Elvgren. I like his technical skills, his style and his subject matter. But I'd have a very tough time convincing my wife to allow one of his paintings to be displayed in our home.

 

 

We have the "no-boobies on the wall" rule in my house too. (thumbs u

[Eric Seffinga]

Not to derail the topic, but the conversation has steered in a direction that I both find absolutely captivating and sometimes infuriating at the same time.

 

Does a no nudity policy in one's household mean if a piece of historically important fine art fell into one's hands via some hypothetical scenario, they would have to sell the piece or never display it, simply because it had some nudity?

 

I'm thinking more along the lines of classical art or more avant garde "fine arts" pieces.

Just wondering where the double standard lies in some homes vs. others, and how they choose to draw that line. I know some where a recognizable nude, say Botticelli or Rubens is "OK" because it's "fine" art, where an Elvgren, because it's more modern/commercial/whimsical, is not.

 

That also can extend or morph to where it's not the age, but the implications of the nudity. A painting that in some way suggests something more sexual in the piece, vs. a figure that is simply nude, irregardless of it's age or the name associated to it.

 

I'm sure in houses with children, it can be a case of not even so much being one's own children seeing the art, so much as visiting children being exposed to it. I could see the immediate complications there, despite the artistic merits of the piece.

 

Then again, I know some adults without any children that would still never display a comic page in their home that had any form of nudity on it because "comics are for children" and a comic page with nudity on it is somehow defiling what comics are for them, or somehow controversial.

 

I also have on more than one occasion, found myself completely bemused by an art discussion. One was at a party a few years ago (in the home of someone I did not know) in which they were deriding someone's dissent about John Ashcroft's decision to cover up the statue of Lady Justice (political humor aside) out of a sense of decorum. Meanwhile the person arguing why covering the bronze art deco breast was necessary, also had a 4' wide O'Keefe "flower" print framed over their sofa. To me it was funny.

 

Perhaps this discussion is better suited to another thread, or to an art discussion board, since so many here are only comic-centric, but i thought I'd at least ask, since it's been hinted at here in the past.

 

There is no right or wrong in the discussion after all.

We all draw our lines in the sand somewhere.

 

-e.

 

[tth2]

Just to be clear, we don`t have a no-nudity rule in our house per se (although in fact we don`t have any nudes up), and my wife is not a prude. I think it`s more whether the artwork was intended to be tittilating (no pun intended), which determines whether it`s appropriate for middle class family home decor. I don`t think I could put up an Elvgren even though most don`t have nudity because the intentionally risque subject matter just wouldn`t be deemed to be appropriate for our home.

[comix4fun]

Just to be clear, we don`t have a no-nudity rule in our house per se (although in fact we don`t have any nudes up), and my wife is not a prude. I think it`s more whether the artwork was intended to be tittilating (no pun intended), which determines whether it`s appropriate for middle class family home decor. I don`t think I could put up an Elvgren even though most don`t have nudity because the intentionally risque subject matter just wouldn`t be deemed to be appropriate for our home.

 

 

And I have an 8 year old and 6 year old. That's the main reason for no nudity or violence on the walls. My lovely trophy wall pieces have to stay sequestered for a bit longer.

 

C

[AvengersFan]

And on that note Chris....my 9 year old son was looking over my shoulder as I was reading here on the boards the other day and busted a gut laughing at a certain animation of his pal Bert biting the head off of a baby...he still keeps talking about it. Heh.

Jay

[comix4fun]

And on that note Chris....my 9 year old son was looking over my shoulder as I was reading here on the boards the other day and busted a gut laughing at a certain animation of his pal Bert biting the head off of a baby...he still keeps talking about it. Heh.

Jay

 

 

'

Another youth I have personally and permanently scarred...

[artdealer]

Heritage stated that 4000 (I think) pieces were consigned and that they would be auctioned in a 2 years time span. Is there a way to view all the upcoming stuff online somewhere or do we have to wait till they announce the auction?

Thanks!

 

You will have to wait as each auction comes up.

 

I know what's in the collection cause I have a cd with all the images.

 

 

Mitch I.

[delekkerste]

Mysterious foreshadowing

 

[detective35]

Hi "delekkerste"

 

I agree with you on the first 2 Evgrens you posted as they are outstanding.

 

For me, "Anchors A-Wow" , does not quite do it, however and Elvgren is still an Elvgren. On the other hand "Snap", does nothing for me at all as I don't find the colors or the subject matter that breathtaking, but that is just personal.

 

Have you ever seen the painting of these two (i haven't and I do not know what they are called, but I will decribe them..I have them on a calender but not in front.)

 

1) A brunette whom has just hammered her them while putting up a painting and is sucking her them.

 

2) A brunette who is sitting on a bench putting on lipstick and there is a big heart in the background with the word "Kisses".

 

These 2 are my favorites. Do you have pictures of them?

 

Dwight

[delekkerste]

The first one is "The Wrong Nail" (1967, see below). I don't know the second one off-hand; I'd have to look it up at home in the "Gil Elvgren: All His Glamorous Pin-Ups" book.

 

I have seen "Anchors-A-Wow" in person. It is luminous. When I included it among my top 3, I, too thought it was a distant third, but after seeing it in person, I can say that it is magnificent and truly merits a place at/near the top of Elvgren's body of work. I have somewhat cooled on "It's A Snap" myself, as Heritage has subsequently auctioned off some true greats like "Bear Facts" and "Riding High". But, I think it was clearly the best that Heritage had sold up to that point, as its near-record price tag also seemed to confirm.

 

Gene

[detective35]

[font:Arial Black]Thanks for posting Gene. I think wrong nail is my second favorite. My number one Elvgren is the following:[/font]

 

[font:Arial Black]"One For The Money" 1956[/font]

 

 

 

 

 

[font:Arial Black]Dwight[/font]

[delekkerste]

Second (going in chronological order):

 

"Hold Everything (Skirting the Issue)" from 1962. Gorgeous girl, absolutely fabulous color selection, beautiful detail on the clothing and, of course, the brilliant dog. Any list of top Elvgrens that omitted this one could not possibly be taken seriously.

 

(thumbs u

[detective35]

Hi Gene,

 

The Elvgren you have and just posted is outstanding. I think you should hunt the one down that I just posted and put them up on your wall side by side.

 

 

PS: It could be with the family in Minneapolis that bought out the Brown and Bigelow warehouse. I know there are quite a few Elvgren's still in Minneapolis.

 

 

Dwight

[delekkerste]

Have you ever seen the painting of these two (i haven't and I do not know what they are called, but I will decribe them..I have them on a calender but not in front.)

 

1) A brunette whom has just hammered her them while putting up a painting and is sucking her them.

 

 

FYI, Dwight, "The Wrong Nail" is in the latest Heritage Illustration Art sale in case you haven't seen it.

[delekkerste]

Finally, "Anchors A-Wow" from 1968. This may not be an obvious choice, as Elvgren painted prettier sailor girls and it falls a bit late chronologically, but, oh, that gorgeous blue background, that wispy white skirt as weightless as the clouds below and that shimmering and radiant face/smile and great pose. A painting that could brighten your mood and light up your day for years to come. Trust me, if second tier pieces can fetch $100-$200K in this market, this one would set a record price for the artist. And don't anyone even attempt to compare this one to "Sitting Pretty" (1953) that Heritage sold for $89.6K last year - that one is not even in the same ballpark of quality despite the similar subject matter.

 

[tth2]

Trust me, if second tier pieces can fetch $100-$200K in this market, this one would set a record price for the artist.

 

hm

[AnkurJ]

You can always pick up his charcoal prelims for much less than a fully painted piece.

[Bronty]

what do those look like and what do they typically go for? anybody have pics?

 

Will be fun to see how 'the wrong nail' does, that's a nice one.

 

 

[delekkerste]

Heritage sold one for $10,755 in their Feb. sale, a lesser example (from the "Miss Sylvania" series) went for $4,481 last October while a third example sold last August for $2,868. The "Bear Facts" prelim went for $11,950 last May at Heritage.

[Bronty]

thx!