Men Portrait Paintings

Portrait of John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol (1665-1751). Early 18th-century near-life-size portrait of a noble man richly dressed in a long wig. Circle of...

Daniela Astone Couple #2 50 x 40 cm Oil on wood Daniela Astone works and lives in Florence. For years she was a teacher on the famous Florence Art Academy. Since 2022 she fulltime works as a painter. Her works are all around the world in great collections. For our exhibition 'A Female Gaze' Daniela Astone made a series of paintings where the female aspect of her life is the main subject. This series contains a series of seven paintings where you see a dancing couple. Female- male couples and male-male/ female-female couples. The Currator of Galerie Bonnard says about the paintings by Daniela Astone: The classical structure and narrative paintings show a technique that is special. Her style is virtuoso and her subjects narrative. The keys are loose and subtle. For this artist, standing in front of a painting means...

Work on cardboard Golden wooden frame 39 x 33 x 5 cm

Signed in red, u.r. Oil on canvas 68 x 77 inches This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. Mark Beard, born in 1956 in Salt Lake City, now lives in New York ...

Signed, inscribed and dated, lower right: 'Geo Dawe RA St Petersburgh 1819', also signed with initials, lower centre: 'G D RA'; and signed and inscribed verso: 'Geo Dawe RA Pinxit 1819 St Petersburgh'; Also inscribed on the stretcher by Cornelius Varley with varnishing instructions. Collections: Private collection, UK, 2010 Literature: Galina Andreeva Geniuses of War, Weal and Beauty: George Dawe...

A Rare and Important Treasure: 11 Oil Painting Panels in a Majestic Fan Shape Signed by Significant 19th-Century Austrian Artists, Featuring Isidor Kaufmann A magnificent and unique artistic achievement, this rare and important assemblage of 11 oil painting panels forms a majestic fan shape, uniting the work of significant 19th-century Austrian artists in a singular, breathtaking display. Each oil on panel is signed by the artist, showcasing a rich variety of subjects—ranging from evocative landscapes to compelling portraits—all rendered in the refined and masterful techniques characteristic of the era. Bringing together the talents of Isidor Kaufmann, Adolf Kaufmann, Carl Reichert, Emma (Edle von Seehof) Müller, Ernst Novak, Johann Hamza...

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...

This painting captures the strength and beauty of a black African girl who gazes directly at the viewer with a thought of total liberation. The use of oil on canvas creates a vibrant...

Louis Betts The Guitarist, circa 1920 Signed upper left Oil on canvas 27 x 18 inches Louis L. Betts was a painter active in the first half of the twentieth century in the United St...

Michael Carson's (US based) "Sitting" (2024) is an original, handmade oil painting. About the Artist: Mike Carson is a Minneapolis painter, and graduate of the Minneapolis College o...

At the center of the artwork, we see a woman seated, her face exuding tranquility and warmth. Cradled in her loving embrace is a young child, their head resting gently on her chest. This simple yet poignant gesture portrays a profound sense of security and reassurance, as the child finds solace and comfort in the maternal embrace. The woman's gentle smile conveys a sense of contentment and unconditional love, offering a safe haven for her child's vulnerable heart. Emmanuel Daniel...

Portrait of Arab Man in Turban French artist, 18th century oil on canvas, framed Framed: 21 x 16.5 inches Canvas : 18.5 x 14 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: ...

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Mes...

"Winged Genius", oil on canvas, 70x110cm, 27.5×43.5in Winged Genius is a fantastic character, a mythological creature, a male figure with birds’ wings, a guardian spirit, a demigod. ...

Muideen Abdulkadir, a renowned artist from Nigeria celebrated for his ability to convey profound emotions through his artwork, has once again demonstrated his artistic genius with "L...

“Joe Louis” is a breathtakingly beautiful portrait of a man who was the best in his profession yet humble in his demeanor. Louis was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed the Brown Bomber, Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 until his temporary retirement in 1949. He was victorious in 25 consecutive title defenses, a record for all weight classes. Louis had the longest single reign as champion of any boxer in history. He is widely regarded as the first person of African-American descent to achieve the status of a nationwide hero within the United States, and was also a focal point of anti-Nazi sentiment leading up to and during World War II because of his historic rematch with German Boxer Max Schmeling in 1938. He was instrumental in integrating the game of golf, breaking the sport's color barrier in America by appearing under a sponsor's exemption in a PGA event in 1952. The artist, Henry Heading...

Portrait Of Lucas Cranach The Elder (1472-1553), 16th Century German Renaissance School Large 16th Century German School portrait identified as Lucas Cranach The Elder, oil on canv...

From the series dedicated to Timeless Women by Salvador Aulestia, this is definitely a museum-grade artwork, exceptionally granted to celebrate yellow, a color well present in the Ca...

Gilbert Lewis (b.1945). Portrait of a Young Man, ca. 1990s. Gouache on illustration board, 18 x 24 inches. Signed upper right. Excellent condition. Measures 24 x 30 inches in custom frame. Provenance: estate of the artist. Artist statement: Figurative art is a vital active process. The image has its own meaning; not storytelling, not just a picture of a face or a flower. Neither is it simply an exercise in the arrangement of shapes or colors. I want to translate my immediate impression into paint to present the image of an outstretched branch of flowers or a face – direct and simple. My art reflects human concerns expressed symbolically, through fantasy and in a more concrete manner in the process of making the representation itself. Art is my response to the image, the end result of an active process of exploration of the limits of the paint on paper within the confines of representation. The painting of a face is not just a face. My feelings are expressed through these images. My paintings speak to anyone in touch with their own humanity; to anyone else my art may be dismissed as “to personal”. Biography: Gilbert Braddy Lewis born September 25, 1945 in Hampton, Va. Son of David Blake Lewis (born in Atlanta, Ga.) and Gladys Louise Braddy [Lewis] (of Sanford, Fl.); brother of David Blake Lewis (Jr.) and Linda Lewis [Hunter]. The family resides at 3 South Linden Street, Hampton, Va. 1953 until 1962 “I studied from the age of seven, in Virginia, with two well-known Tidewater artists, Jean Craig and the late Allan Jones. The teaching methods of carefully observed studies from nature in charcoal or tempra paint, derived, of course, from the original French academic model, conveyed its impact on my early development; however, my eye and consciousness were mostly activated by the reproductions on the studio wall of works by Botticelli, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo.” Gilbert Lewis in Contemporary Philadelphia Artists: A Juried Exhibition, (Philadelphia Museum of Art 2000), p. 145 1963-68 Studies at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with Franklin Watkins, Hobson Pittman, Morris Blackburn, and Walter Stuempfig. While a student at PAFA he shares apartment [261 South 21st Street] with PAFA students, Jody Pinto and Barbara Sosson. In 1967 he receives PAFA’s: Bergman Prize in Painting; M. Herbert Syme Prize; and Samuel Cresson Memorial Travelling Scholarship. The latter award enables Lewis to travel to Europe during the summer of 1967 where he visits museums. “In 1967, after having seen the Italian master’s work while on scholarship from the Pennsylvania Academy, I was to realize my great influences and to discover the earlier Sienese masters whose clarity and energy still move me.” Gilbert Lewis in Contemporary Philadelphia Artists: A Juried Exhibition, (Philadelphia Museum of Art 2000), p. 145 1968 Horizontal painting [of an interior with a seated woman and cat by a large window] reproduced in black and white in school catalog for Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 1968-1969, p. 24. Other students whose works are reproduced include Clayton Anderson, Barkley Hendricks...

Ancient painting depicting Jesus with the Commissioner's son (Alternative reading: St. Joseph with the Child, or the 'Paternity') Giovan Battista Salvi known as "the Sassoferrato" (1609 - 1685) circle / follower Oil painting on canvas 76 x 59 cm. -With frame in the shape of a small temple, not coeval 99 x 84 cm. The interesting canvas that we are pleased to offer you recalls the iconographic model of classic paternity, which traditionally sees Saint Joseph holding the sleeping baby Jesus...

Nasser Ovissi, 'Iranian, Born 1934' "Cyrus The Great" Oil on Canvas Painting. Very fine quality painting by Persian Artist Nasser Ovissi who is considered to be known as the "Picasso of Iran". A true modern Iranian masterpiece depicting "King Cyrus...

A charming study of a gentleman in his finery. Signed illegibly and dated '1882' to the lower right. On canvas.

5058 Full length oversized oil painting of an English Nobleman Set in a rapped canvas noframe needed Signed Robert Yarmola

This moody portrait captures a figure in profile, wearing a distinctive dark fur Russian ushanka against a somber brown background. The brushwork is loose and expressive, creating a ...

Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gallery) "I'm Alright, Just Here" is a captivating artwork that captures the viewer's attention with its tender depiction of a young girl. The artist skillfully brings the subject to life, with delicate brushstrokes and meticulous attention to detail. The girl's features are portrayed with remarkable precision, revealing a sense of innocence and vulnerability that tugs at the heartstrings. The expression on the girl's face speaks volumes—a delicate blend of calmness and introspection. Her eyes, a window to her soul, radiate a sense of quiet strength and resilience, hinting at a pearl of wisdom beyond her years. Simon's choice to depict the girl alone, with no external distractions, creates a sense of intimacy and invites viewers to connect with her inner world. "I'm Alright, Just Here" explores the themes of solitude, self-reflection, and the resilience of youth. The title itself offers insight into the subject's state of mind—an assurance that she is content and at peace in her presence. It serves as a gentle reminder of the importance of finding solace within oneself, even amidst the chaos and noise of the world. The young girl's presence in the artwork represents the universal experience of navigating the complexities of life. Her portrayal invites viewers to reflect on their journey, prompting questions about the inner strength we possess and the moments of introspection we all seek. She becomes a mirror, reminding us to find moments of stillness and self-care, where we can gather strength and nurture our well-being. The muted color palette employed by Simon contributes to the contemplative mood of the artwork. Soft, earthy tones evoke a sense of serenity and harmony, further enhancing the atmosphere of quiet introspection. The artist's careful attention to the interplay of light and shadow adds depth to the girl's expression, underscoring the layers of emotion and resilience that lie beneath the surface. Obeka Simon...

The Legal Gentleman portrait of a lawyer/ barrister by Victor Hume Moody (British 1896-1990) *see notes below signed and dated 1974 oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 36 x 28 inches pro...

The work is old, dated from the middle of the 19th century. The artist has been sold more than 300 times in auction houses, mainly in France (origin of the painter), which explains t...

Modern, academic style portrait painting on canvas of a young athletic male oil on canvas, 26 x 17 inches in antique wood frame This vertical, contemporary portrait painting of sin...

Flemish school of the 19th century Armorial portrait of Baron Henri de ROISIN (1787-1846) in the uniform of a general of the gendarmerie (1835) Oil on canvas H. 108 cm; W. 90 cm Bar...

It takes a long time to heal as a human in this situation blue helps in calming the mind both physically and mentally blue also indicates serenity and contentment. Shipping Procedur...

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Elie HATUNGIMAN...

Signed lower left, 'John Fulton' (American, 1933-1998) and painted circa 1995. The original oil painting for the poster advertising the appearance of Manolo Gonzalez at the prestigious Maestranza bullring in Seville and showing famous bullfighter in an emerald suit of lights, holding his espada at the ready while deflecting the enraged bull with his red cape. John Fulton was an American bullfighter and painter who settled in Seville. Born in Philadelphia, he received a scholarship to an art school in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, in the early 1950s. During this time, he studied both painting and bullfighting, killing his first calf there in 1953. In 1954, Fulton joined the U.S. Army and continued and continued painting and bullfighting on his downtime. After his release in 1956, he moved to Spain where he studied bullfighting under Juan Belmonte and performed as a novillero (novice) with some of Spain’s leading matadors. In July 1963, Fulton was sponsored by José María Montilla to take his 'alternativa' at the Plaza de toros...

Nicola Maria Rossi masterfully captures the biblical tale of Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well, a story from the Book of Genesis. In this scene, Abraham’s servant, Eliezer, arrives at ...

Solitude I, 2021

This shall pass, like a fleeting dream, A moment in time, a fleeting scheme, The winds of change will soon abate, And the stormy skies will soon relate, The sun will shine, the cloud...

Nicolò Zafuri (circle of) (documented in Candia between 1487 and 1500, died before 10 July 1501) Title: Madonna with Child Medium: Oil on panel Dimensions: without frame 49 x 40 cm ...

Wesley Lea (1914-1981). Self-portrait, ca. 1940. Oil on canvas, 12 x 17 inches. Signed lower left center "WESLEA" as was his practice in 1930s-40's. Unframed.

Figurative oil on canvas painting of a young athletic male 24 x 20 inches, 29.5 x 23.5 inches vintage gold painted wood frame signed B. Sargeant in red in upper right hand corner T...

PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR (1841-1919) Portrait de femme - Berthe Poret bears signature (lower left) oil on canvas 17 15/16 x 14 3/4 in (45.5 x 37.4 cm) Painted between 1862-1863 Footnotes This work will be included in the forthcoming Pierre-Auguste Renoir Digital Catalogue Raisonné, currently being prepared under the sponsorship of the Wildenstein Plattner Institute, Inc. Provenance Berthe Poret Collection, France (acquired from the artist in 1863). Thence by descent to the previous owner. Private collection (acquired from the above in 1947). O'Hana Gallery, London (acquired circa 1955). Michael Mathias Collection, US (acquired through Emmanuel Javogue Fine Arts, Miami in 1998). Simic Galleries, Carmel, by 2000. Private collection, Texas (acquired circa 2007). Private collection, Atlanta. Acquired from the above by the previous owner in February 2019. Exhibited London, O'Hana Gallery, Cezanne to Picasso "Oeuvres de jeunesse," April 12 - May 16, 1956, no. 13 (titled 'Portrait of Mlle. Berthe Poret'). Paris, Galerie Drouot - Provence, Exposition, June 1 - July 31, 1959. Edmonton, The Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edouard Cortes (1882-1969), Paris and French Countryside Revealed, June 9 - September 3, 2001. Literature G-P. & M. Dauberville, Renoir, Catalogue raisonné des tableaux, pastels, dessins et aquarelles, vol. I, 1858-1881, Paris, 2007, no. 440 (illustrated p. 453; titled 'Portrait de Mademoiselle Berthe Poret' and dated circa 1863). One of the earliest known paintings by Renoir...

Family Devotion with Cherubs French School, 18th century after the earlier work by Sir Peter Paul Rubens oil on canvas, unframed Canvas : 29 x 24 inches Provenance: private collectio...

Jon Wassom’s Soul Searching (2024) is a striking mixed-media painting on canvas, measuring 24 x 20 inches with a 1.5-inch depth. This original artwork captivates with its expressive ...

Rare pair of Italian paintings from the second half of the 17th century. Oil on canvas artworks depicting two splendid female figures recognizable thanks to the inscriptions at the b...

A fine folk-style portrait depicting a man wearing traditional wear from Styria, Austria. The artist captures the gentleman in a layered suit with a rich bottle-green overcoat. To hi...

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Mic...

Artist/ School: Continental school, 20th century Title: The Explorers Medium: oil painting on canvas, framed Size: framed: 29.25 x 41.25 inches canvas: 24 x 36 inches Provenance...

The Hunter French School, late 19th century oil painting on canvas, framed framed size: 32 x 42 inches provenance: private collection, France Superb large scale French oil painting,...

PORTRAIT OF UGO FOSCOLO - Oil on canvas cm.50x40, Antonio Jannone, Italy, 2002. this beautiful portrait of the Italian poet Ugo Foscolo is the painter's pe...

LOOK FOR FREE SHIPPING AT CHECKOUT. IF NOT AVAILABLE, GALLERY OFFERS FREE SHIPPING. ARTIST EXPLANATION OF THE PAINTINGS: Bathers: 12 x 9 oil on cradled birch panel. Ready to hang with wire on the back They are blurred. So I paint them with a regular brush, let the paint get partially dry, and then I use a brush to go over it many times to blur the paint. Sometime if it gets too blurred I go back in and do some more painting to define an area, and then use a big special brush to blur the image again. Joan Breckwoldt...

Nadezda's beautiful new oil on panel painting "Something in the Way" (2024) is a surreal portrait of a man stuck in a slouched position with his arms over a bar and his head undernea...

Artist born in Vienna, Austria in 1887. Died in 1970 in Geneva. Work on canvas

Up for sale is an unusual unique antique 18-century original oil painting on board depicting a figure of a gentleman wearing a white wig and is dressed in a red jacket and white jab...

Philippe PARROT (Saint Martin d'Excideuil 1831 – Paris 1894) Portrait of Yvonne Mattoy Oil on canvas H. 46 cm; L. 38 cm Signed and dedicated at the top...

Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...

This painting depicts an impressionistic and abstract portrait of George Washington. The thick brush strokes and fun marks create an atmosphere reminiscent of the impressionists from...

This charming mid-19th-century oil painting by German artist Anton Benno Zottmayr (1795-1865) depicts a gentleman holding a letter. Zottmayr was an accomplished painter of portraits,...

Victor Wang's subject is a female seemingly caught in a contemplative moment yet a war rages behind her. She dons a hat shaped as a boat and carries and oar as if to "Dream Away" these other thoughts. Wang uses a blend of luminous colors and buttery textures to evoke these enigmatic moments of meditation. Influence by the Renaissance Masters Titian and Rembrandt for their glazing and layering techniques respectively, the artist builds the surface using heavy paint, swirling and mixing the color on the canvas. The end result is a poetic and emotionally powerful representation of the human form. Victor Wang Dreaming Away, 2017 oil on canvas 42h x 56w in 106.68h x 142.24w cm VWG009 My path through life has been adventurous, exciting, and dream-like. My experience of settling into America in search of better opportunities has been both challenging and inspiring. I use the human face as a vehicle to paint human experiences - worry and wonder, sadness and pleasure - which reflect the emotional stage directly tied to my immigration experiences. I grew up amongst the sunflower fields in northern China. In my childhood years, I played under the bright, yellow sunflowers with my brothers everyday. China’s Cultural Revolution played an important part in my life. During that time, sunflowers were used as political allegories to depict how citizens of China should follow Mao who represented the sun, since sunflowers follow the sun’s movements. People eventually inferred the deception that this symbol masked. After graduating from high school, I was sent to a labor camp in the country for ‘reeducation’ during China’s Cultural Revolution. There, I was subject to grueling farm work. Often, I worked in corn and sunflower fields from sunrise to sunset. Thus, for me, sunflowers evoke both personal joy and sadness. Therefore, to deliver my complex feelings, I use sunflowers as a metaphor to connote my background and emotional stage. My incorporation of collages of figures from China’s Tang Dynasty represents my Chinese heritage and is a constant reminder of where I came from. The texture and earthiness on the canvas’s surface are inspired by the texture of the soil on the farm where I worked in China. Although I often gain great pleasure from the process of painting, it is most important to unfold expressively those feelings within myself. Wang belongs to a generation of immigrant painters from China, whose artistic background was defined by socialist realism but took advantage of their skills and broke away from that tradition to create new subjects in the U.S. “When I was a student during Cultural Revolution, Soviet realism art was among the dominant source of influence and it grabbed us like lightening rod...

"Triple Elvis" (Denied) Silkscreen Painting by Charles Lutz Silkscreen and silver enamel paint on canvas with Artist's Denied stamp of the Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board. 82 x 72" inches 2010 This important example was shown alongside works by Warhol in a two-person show "Warhol Revisited (Charles Lutz / Andy Warhol)" at UAB Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts in 2024. Lutz's 2007 ''Warhol Denied'' series gained international attention by calling into question the importance of originality or lack thereof in the work of Andy Warhol. The authentication/denial process of the [[Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board]] was used to create value by submitting recreations of Warhol works for judgment with the full intention for the works to be formally marked "DENIED". The final product of the conceptual project being "officially denied" "Warhol" paintings authored by Lutz. Based on the full-length Elvis Presley paintings by Pop Artist Andy Warhol in 1964, this is likely one of his most iconic images, next to Campbell's Soup Cans and portraits of Jackie Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Liz Taylor, and Marlon Brando. This is the rarest of the Elvis works from the series, as Lutz sourced a vintage roll of 1960's primed artist linen which was used for this one Elvis. The silkscreen, like Warhol's embraced imperfections, like the slight double image printing of the Elvis image. Lutz received his BFA in Painting and Art History from Pratt Institute and studied Human Dissection and Anatomy at Columbia University, New York. Lutz's work deals with perceptions and value structures, specifically the idea of the transference of values. Lutz's most recently presented an installation of new sculptures dealing with consumerism at Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater House in 2022. Lutz's 2007 Warhol Denied series received international attention calling into question the importance of originality in a work of art. The valuation process (authentication or denial) of the Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board was used by the artist to create value by submitting recreations of Warhol works for judgment, with the full intention for the works to be formally marked "DENIED" of their authenticity. The final product of this conceptual project is "Officially DENIED" "Warhol" paintings authored by Lutz. Later in 2013, Lutz went on to do one of his largest public installations to date. At the 100th Anniversary of Marcel Duchamp's groundbreaking and controversial Armory Show, Lutz was asked by the curator of Armory Focus: USA and former Director of The Andy Warhol Museum, Eric Shiner to create a site-specific installation representing the US. The installation "Babel" (based on Pieter Bruegel's famous painting) consisted of 1500 cardboard replicas of Warhol's Brillo Box (Stockholm Type) stacked 20 ft tall. All 1500 boxes were then given to the public freely, debasing the Brillo Box as an art commodity by removing its value, in addition to debasing its willing consumers. Elvis was "the greatest cultural force in the Twentieth Century. He introduced the beat to everything, and he changed everything - music, language, clothes, it's a whole new social revolution." Leonard Bernstein in: Exh. Cat., Boston, The Institute of Contemporary Art and traveling, Elvis + Marilyn 2 x Immortal, 1994-97, p. 9. Andy Warhol "quite simply changed how we all see the world around us." Kynaston McShine in: Exh. Cat., New York, Museum of Modern Art (and traveling), Andy Warhol: Retrospective, 1996, p. 13. In the summer of 1963 Elvis Presley was just twenty-eight years old but already a legend of his time. During the preceding seven years - since Heartbreak Hotel became the biggest-selling record of 1956 - he had recorded seventeen number-one singles and seven number-one albums; starred in eleven films, countless national TV appearances, tours, and live performances; earned tens of millions of dollars; and was instantly recognized across the globe. The undisputed King of Rock and Roll, Elvis was the biggest star alive: a cultural phenomenon of mythic proportions apparently no longer confined to the man alone. As the eminent composer Leonard Bernstein put it, Elvis was "the greatest cultural force in the Twentieth Century. He introduced the beat to everything, and he changed everything - music, language, clothes, it's a whole new social revolution." (Exh. Cat., Boston, The Institute of Contemporary Art (and traveling), Elvis + Marilyn 2 x Immortal, 1994, p. 9). In the summer of 1963 Andy Warhol was thirty-four years old and transforming the parameters of visual culture in America. The focus of his signature silkscreen was leveled at subjects he brilliantly perceived as the most important concerns of day to day contemporary life. By appropriating the visual vernacular of consumer culture and multiplying readymade images gleaned from newspapers, magazines and advertising, he turned a mirror onto the contradictions behind quotidian existence. Above all else he was obsessed with themes of celebrity and death, executing intensely multifaceted and complex works in series that continue to resound with universal relevance. His unprecedented practice re-presented how society viewed itself, simultaneously reinforcing and radically undermining the collective psychology of popular culture. He epitomized the tide of change that swept through the 1960s and, as Kynaston McShine has concisely stated, "He quite simply changed how we all see the world around us." (Exh. Cat., New York, Museum of Modern Art (and traveling), Andy Warhol: Retrospective, 1996, p. 13). Thus in the summer of 1963 there could not have been a more perfect alignment of artist and subject than Warhol and Elvis. Perhaps the most famous depiction of the biggest superstar by the original superstar artist, Double Elvis is a historic paradigm of Pop Art from a breath-taking moment in Art History. With devastating immediacy and efficiency, Warhol's canvas seduces our view with a stunning aesthetic and confronts our experience with a sophisticated array of thematic content. Not only is there all of Elvis, man and legend, but we are also presented with the specter of death, staring at us down the barrel of a gun; and the lone cowboy, confronting the great frontier and the American dream. The spray painted silver screen denotes the glamour and glory of cinema, the artificiality of fantasy, and the idea of a mirror that reveals our own reality back to us. At the same time, Warhol's replication of Elvis' image as a double stands as metaphor for the means and effects of mass-media and its inherent potential to manipulate and condition. These thematic strata function in simultaneous concert to deliver a work of phenomenal conceptual brilliance. The portrait of a man, the portrait of a country, and the portrait of a time, Double Elvis is an indisputable icon for our age. The source image was a publicity still for the movie Flaming Star, starring Presley as the character Pacer Burton and directed by Don Siegel in 1960. The film was originally intended as a vehicle for Marlon Brando and produced by David Weisbart, who had made James Dean's Rebel Without a Cause in 1955. It was the first of two Twentieth Century Fox productions Presley was contracted to by his manager Colonel Tom Parker, determined to make the singer a movie star. For the compulsive movie-fan Warhol, the sheer power of Elvis wielding a revolver as the reluctant gunslinger presented the zenith of subject matter: ultimate celebrity invested with the ultimate power to issue death. Warhol's Elvis is physically larger than life and wears the expression that catapulted him into a million hearts: inexplicably and all at once fearful and resolute; vulnerable and predatory; innocent and explicit. It is the look of David Halberstam's observation that "Elvis Presley was an American original, the rebel as mother's boy, alternately sweet and sullen, ready on demand to be either respectable or rebellious." (Exh. Cat., Boston, Op. Cit.). Indeed, amidst Warhol's art there is only one other subject whose character so ethereally defies categorization and who so acutely conflated total fame with the inevitability of mortality. In Warhol's work, only Elvis and Marilyn harness a pictorial magnetism of mythic proportions. With Marilyn Monroe, whom Warhol depicted immediately after her premature death in August 1962, he discovered a memento mori to unite the obsessions driving his career: glamour, beauty, fame, and death. As a star of the silver screen and the definitive international sex symbol, Marilyn epitomized the unattainable essence of superstardom that Warhol craved. Just as there was no question in 1963, there remains still none today that the male equivalent to Marilyn is Elvis. However, despite his famous 1968 adage, "If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface of my paintings" Warhol's fascination held purpose far beyond mere idolization. As Rainer Crone explained in 1970, Warhol was interested in movie stars above all else because they were "people who could justifiably be seen as the nearest thing to representatives of mass culture." (Rainer Crone, Andy Warhol, New York, 1970, p. 22). Warhol was singularly drawn to the idols of Elvis and Marilyn, as he was to Marlon Brando and Liz Taylor, because he implicitly understood the concurrence between the projection of their image and the projection of their brand. Some years after the present work he wrote, "In the early days of film, fans used to idolize a whole star - they would take one star and love everything about that star...So you should always have a product that's not just 'you.' An actress should count up her plays and movies and a model should count up her photographs and a writer should count up his words and an artist should count up his pictures so you always know exactly what you're worth, and you don't get stuck thinking your product is you and your fame, and your aura." (Andy Warhol, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again), San Diego, New York and London, 1977, p. 86). The film stars of the late 1950s and early 1960s that most obsessed Warhol embodied tectonic shifts in wider cultural and societal values. In 1971 John Coplans argued that Warhol was transfixed by the subject of Elvis, and to a lesser degree by Marlon Brando and James Dean, because they were "authentically creative, and not merely products of Hollywood's fantasy or commercialism. All three had originative lives, and therefore are strong personalities; all three raised - at one level or another - important questions as to the quality of life in America and the nature of its freedoms. Implicit in their attitude is a condemnation of society and its ways; they project an image of the necessity for the individual to search for his own future, not passively, but aggressively, with commitment and passion." (John Coplans, "Andy Warhol and Elvis Presley," Studio International, vol. 181, no. 930, February 1971, pp. 51-52). However, while Warhol unquestionably adored these idols as transformative heralds, the suggestion that his paintings of Elvis...

Denied Warhol Jackie in Black and White by Charles Lutz Silkscreen and gold spray enamel on vintage 1960's linen with Denied stamp of the Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board. 20 x 1...