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Kurt Ard
"I thought you didn't go anywhere..." - Magazine Story Illustration

1958

$79,000
£60,543.94
€69,584.62
CA$110,959.39
A$124,184.01
CHF 65,005.90
MX$1,508,610.70
NOK 825,409.71
SEK 778,915.05
DKK 519,223.68

About the Item

The illustration shows a woman sitting in a chair next to a man lying on a sofa. The scene of the couple's living room is shown from above Published as an illustration for Steve McNeil’s short story “Husbands Better Tell” in the September 6, 1958 issue of The Saturday Evening Post & R.W. Krepps, “Spøgelsesleoparden,” Familie Journal, circa 1958, pp. 14-15, illustrated. Much like Norman Rockwell, Kurt Ard was inspired by everyday life and he often used his wife and children as models, striving to portray figures and their surroundings as accurately as possible. Ard’s strong attention to detail creates a visual delight on canvas and enhances the relatability of his narratives. These charming scenes of childhood and witty commentaries on relationships and daily life are representative of Ard’s endearing humor that defines his signature style. Kurt Ard was born in Copenhagen in 1925 and apprenticed to a Danish painter in his youth. He sold his first magazine illustration at the age of seventeen and began his career working for small newspapers, but commissions were scarce at the time due to World War II. After the War, Ard achieved global fame for his covers produced for popular magazines throughout Europe and the United States from the 1950s through the 1970s. In Europe, Ard’s illustrations graced the covers of popular magazines, including Panorama, HÖRZU, Allers, and Familie Journal. In the United States, Ard’s illustrations appeared on eight covers of The Saturday Evening Post, as well as the pages of other leading publications, including McCall’s and Reader’s Digest. Ard had a unique challenge producing artwork for US-based publications from his studio in Copenhagen. According to The Saturday Evening Post, after the artist submitted his sketches to the magazine’s editors and art department, Ard had to wait for a response before beginning his final painting. He sometimes had to halt progress and wait for approval if he wanted to make changes mid-project. (Reference: Joseph Scales, “Beyond the Canvas: Covering Up,” The Saturday Evening Post online, published July 23, 2014.)
  • Creator:
    Kurt Ard (1925)
  • Creation Year:
    1958
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 22 in (55.88 cm)Width: 19.5 in (49.53 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Fort Washington, PA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 47551stDibs: LU384315062592

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Now and Then - Original Magazine Cover
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This piece was illustrated on the cover of four magazines: the May 28, 1957 issue of the Familie Journal, the May 1957 issue of Allers, the August 10, 1957 issue of HÖRZU, and the October 25, 1958 issue of Panorama. This illustration featuring two little girls side-by-side, both on the telephone, shows how much has changed between 1907 and 1957. Much like Norman Rockwell, Kurt Ard...
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