About
This refined pastel portrait of film legend Mary Astor by the American illustrator Rolf Armstrong dates to 1938, during the artist's brief tenure as a Hollywood portraitist. The elegant and understated large format artwork reflects Armstrong's desire to move away from the rigid demands and deadline driven style in his career as America's leading calendar artist. In the early 1930s, Armstrong moved from New York to the West Coast and started an independent fine art company "Armstrong Art Services." Though the venture was poorly timed, and the Great Depression among other variables led to its commercial failure, the original artworks from this period comprise some of Armstrong's most sophisticated and enduring images. The Hollywood Venus (previously sold at Grapefruit Moon Gallery) and large, often published portraits of Boris Karloff, Constance Bennett, Mrs William Randolph Hearst, as well as this elegant and glowing portrait of Maltese Falcon star Mary Astor all emerged from this short but prolific residency.
This artwork was part of the estate of Mike Wooldridge, co-author of Pin Up Dreams: The Glamour World of Rolf Armstrong; and was previously in the collection of Armstrong's long-time muse and model, Jewel Flowers.
Sight size 30" x 41" Framed 33" x 44"
Details
- Artist
- Creation year1938
- Medium
- Movement & Style
- ConditionExcellent.
- Dimensions
H 44 in. x W 33 in.
H 111.76 cm x W 83.82 cm
- Gallery locationMinneapolis, MN
- Reference numberLU12221303373
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