Al Parker , Glamorous Redhead Iconic Mid-Century Illustration, 1950s

Glamorous Redhead with eyes cast to the side, is a poster-like iconic image that sums up an era in American visual history - The 1950s. Al Parker is a giant in the history of American Illustration. He possesses all of the illustration skills and imagination that rival the immortals - Norman Rockwell, J.C.leyendecker, Maxfield Parrish and Dean Cornwell. His talents as a graphic designer integrating simple shapes and forms compare to the greats such as Paul Rand. His inventiveness is matched only by his outstanding technical skills in picture-making. In Glamorous Redhead, Parker paints in gouache on a commercial purple-colored paper. Parker chose not to paint purple on white paper because it would leave evidence of the artist's mark. He uses a commerical paper with a pre-colored surface to give a flat, slick, and cool overall feel and have that 50s look. The painting is masterfully designed. The bracelet with two circular shapes echo the subject two eyes. Al Parker was a regular contributor to such magazines as: Chatelaine, Collier's, Ladies Home Journal, and Woman's Home Companion. Starting in 1938, he produced a total of 50 covers over a 13-year period for the Ladies' Home Journal. He also sold illustrations to Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, McCall's, The Saturday Evening Post, Sports Illustrated, Town and Country and Vogue. Signed lower right. Condition is fair. There are creases, surface pitting and tears outside of the live area. The work would benefit from some conservation specifically to the purple support paper. Most of the issues are outside the live area.
Al Parker, American, 1906–1985
Gouache, pencil and colored paper, Collage
US$20,000 Plus Shipping