Charles Hubbard Wright — Welcoming In The 20th Century (1900)

Wowzers. This incredible and HUGE pen and ink piece was drawn by illustrator Charles Hubbard Wright, and shows a procession of cherubs and women welcoming in the 20th century (it is dated 1900). Wright was a well-known golden-age illustrator best known for his turn-of-the-century posters and pen and ink drawings for Judge magazine. Art measures 16" x 27", in a much larger frame.

The line work in this piece is incredible. Check out the cross-hatching at the top of the art, and the detail in the flowers and donkey. I put up additional photos to try to show the great draftsmanship, although the photos don't do it justice.

Here is what kills me about golden-age art. You can still find incredible pieces like this being sold in obscure places, with little or no appreciation for what they are. I found this being utterly ignored in an on-line auction house, and immediately recognized it as an incredible piece of art. I snapped it up quick, and couldn't be happier. Sometimes, I feel like an art archaeologist, finding hidden and discarded treasures from the past and bringing them back to light for the world (or at least me) to enjoy . . .