Lot Details
Lot 490
HIRSCHFELD, AL Group of ten large original drawings for the El San Juan Hotel, Puerto Rico, late 1960s-early 1970s. Each ink...
, late 1960s-early 1970s. Each ink on illustration board, signed at lower right and numbered for "Ninas." The group comprising six large drawings each containing approximately ten caricatures of the various musical and theatrical celebrities to perform at the hotel that season, the largest 30 x 22 inches; a large casino scene containing over a dozen figures and a small self-portrait of Hirschfeld, 30 x 22 inches; a water-skiing scene, 19 x 22 inches; a poolside scene, 22 x 30 inches; and a restaurant scene, 30 x 22 inches. As these drawings were prepared for print advertisements, most have remnants of taped glassine protectors, printed or drawn overlays affixed, pencil or ink markings, some added white over-color, bumped corners, some wear from storage, handling and thumbsoiling, etc.; Together with a group of transparencies and related archival material, being the preparations of the ads and cut-outs from magazines and newspapers of their final versions.
A large archive highlighting Hirschfeld's talents in advertising during the golden age of travel. The six large celebrity drawings depict the performers that would be performing at the hotel that season; in these, Hirschfeld has craftily presented the multiple figures reflected in a backstage dressing room mirror, appearing from behind a pulled curtain, emerging from a lidded box, etc. The performers at the San Juan during those years includes Sonny & Cher, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minelli, Paul Anka, Jerry Vale, Bobby Vinton and others. Of note here is the large and dynamic casino scene, which features several veiled caricatures of Woody Allen (likely during the filming of Bananas) and others surrounding a roulette table. The lot is accompanied by a letter of provenance from the current owner reporting working with Hirschfeld on this campaign for the Edward M. Meyers advertising agency and receiving the group as a gift from Mr. Meyers. We are unaware of any such archive of Hirschfeld's commercial work at auction, especially containing so many large drawings of celebrities and of resort life.
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