E. Simms Campbell Paintings

American, 1906-1971

Elmer Simms Campbell (January 2, 1906 – January 27, 1971) was an American commercial artist best known as the cartoonist who signed his work, E. Simms Campbell. The first African-American cartoonist published in nationally distributed, slick magazines, he created Esky,the familiar pop-eyed mascot of Esquire. Campbell was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of educators, Elizabeth Simms Campbell & Elmer Campbell He then enrolled in the University of Chicago. After one year, Campbell left the University of Chicago and transferred to and received his degree from the Chicago Art Institute. He spent two years at Triad Studios before moving to New York City in 1929. taking classes at the National Academy of Design. During this time, he contributed to various magazines, notably Life, & Judge. Following the suggestion of cartoonist Russell Patterson to focus on good girl art, Campbell created his "Harem Girls", a series of watercolor cartoons that attracted attention in the first issue of Esquire, debuting in 1933. Campbell's artwork was in almost every issue of Esquire from 1933 to 1958 & he was the creator of its continuing mascot, the cartoon character in a silk top hat. He also contributed to The Chicagoan, Cosmopolitan, Ebony, The New Yorker, Playboy, Opportunity: A Journal of Negro Life, Pictorial Review, and Redbook. His commercial artwork for advertising included illustrations for Barbasol, Springmaid,Hart Schaffner & Marx. Campbell also was the author of a chapter on blues music in the 1939 book Jazzmen, a seminal study of jazz's history and development. Campbell died in White Plains, New York, in 1971 His gag panel, Cuties, was syndicated by King Features in more than 145 newspapers "A Night-Club Map of 1930s Harlem" Of enduring cultural & historical interest is the witty, cartoon-filled map Campbell drew in 1932 – "A Night-Club Map of 1930s Harlem" identifying the attractions of Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance and adding his personal notes. He captures the intensity of the scene: within a few blocks of each other he has cartooned Cab Calloway singing at the Cotton Club, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson doing his step dance at the Lafayette Theater – "Friday night is the Midnight show, Most Negro revues begin and end here." Lissome "cafe au lait girls" dance at Small's Paradise. Outside, doormen welcome White swells in top hats, while an elegant Black couple in evening dress dance "the Bump" Campbell's map appears in the book version of Ken Burns's documentary Jazz. The map in its entirety also appears as the inside front cover of "Of Minnie the Moocher and Me", the autobiography of Cab Calloway by Cab Calloway and Bryant Rollins (TY Crowell, 1976). Jazz historian Mike Thibault reports that the original was displayed by the Smithsonian in 1996.The map is currently held at the Yale Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. On April 4, 2017, National Geographic published an article on the map that included the map and several enlarged sections of it. They featured it again during 2020 to subscribers of their newsletter, among a collection of unique maps of New York City. Recognition

Artist: E. Simms Campbell

E. Simms CampbellSanta Claus Sexy Playboy Cartoon First African American Illustrator, Elmer Simms, 1963

$25,000

Santa Claus Sexy Playboy Cartoon First African American Illustrator, Elmer Simms

By E. Simms Campbell

Located in Miami, FL

Santa has a quickie with Mom. Elmer Simms Campbell was the first African American Illustrator to work for major newsstand magazines. Published December, 1963 Signed in pencil lower...

Category

1960s Realist E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Illustration Board, Pencil

E. Simms CampbellNude Playboy Cartoon, First African American Illustrator Elmer Simms Campbell, 1966

$30,000

Nude Playboy Cartoon, First African American Illustrator Elmer Simms Campbell

By E. Simms Campbell

Located in Miami, FL

E. Simms Campbell was the first and top black commercial artist in the USA for decades. In "Grandma," we see a deeply conceptual work, with the blank canvas as the main point of the...

Category

1960s Impressionist E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Illustration Board, Pencil

E. Simms CampbellBeautiful Maidens Nude Women Harem, Playboy Cartoon African American Illustrator, 1962

$25,000

Beautiful Maidens Nude Women Harem, Playboy Cartoon African American Illustrator

By E. Simms Campbell

Located in Miami, FL

E. Simms Campbel was the first major African American Illustrator. He did covers for Esquire Magazine starting in the 1930s. He created the famous bulging-eyed Esquire Mascot “Esky.” He also worked for The Chicagoan, Cosmopolitan, Ebony, The New Yorker, Playboy, Opportunity: A Journal of Negro Life, Pictorial Review, and Redbook. This work, "What do you mean your wife doesn't understand you ---- I'm your wife!" is from Cuties Daily Comic Strip, June 18, 1950 He was inducted into the Society of Illustrators' Hall of Fame in 2002. His work demonstrates a deep and masterfully understanding of drawing figures and faces in an academic but stylized style. "My pleasure, boys. Always glad to see a delegation from the States." From the Playboy Collection...

Category

1960s Impressionist E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Pencil

E. Simms CampbellHarem: Sexy Nude Girl Illustration for Playboy. First Black Illustrator, 1960

$25,000

Harem: Sexy Nude Girl Illustration for Playboy. First Black Illustrator

By E. Simms Campbell

Located in Miami, FL

Playboy Magazine ran this joke cartoon illustration in color on page 43 for the October 1960 edition. Signed lower right. The work is executed on a heavy Whatman Illustration board....

Category

1960s American Modern E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Illustration Board, Pencil, Gouache

Raymond DebieveReclining Nude en Plein Aire, circa 1960s

$1,814Sale Price|40% Off

H 22.45 in W 26.38 in

Reclining Nude en Plein Aire

By Raymond Debieve

Located in London, GB

'Reclining Nude en Plein Aire', gouache on art paper, by Raymond Debiève (circa 1960s). The reclining figure is one of the most popular poses in art history...

Category

1960s Modern E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

French SchoolFrench Expressive Charcoal Sketch of a Standing Nude Figure

$121Sale Price|20% Off

H 13.75 in W 9 in D 1 in

French Expressive Charcoal Sketch of a Standing Nude Figure

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Standing Nude Figure black pen drawing on artist paper painting: 13.75 x 9 inches provenance: private collection, England condition: very good and sound condition

Category

20th Century Impressionist E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Ballpoint Pen

Louis BellonFrench Pointillist Reclining Male Nude Mid 20th Century Painting, c. 1950s

$992Sale Price|20% Off

H 5.5 in W 10 in

French Pointillist Reclining Male Nude Mid 20th Century Painting

By Louis Bellon

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Pointillist Reclining Male Nude by Louis Bellon (French 1908-1998) initialled lower right gouache painting on paper, unframed measurements: 5.5 x 10 inches (overall the sheet measures 8.25 x 11.9 inches) provenance: private collection of the artists work, Provence, France Condition report: very good, colour strong, thin paper, margins of sheet show light marks but image is clean Beautiful Neo-Impressionist 1940's French pointillist...

Category

Mid-20th Century Pointillist E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache

Deirdre O'ConnellFire, mixed media portrait of nude woman, 2020

$880Sale Price|48% Off

H 10.5 in W 5 in

Fire, mixed media portrait of nude woman

By Deirdre O'Connell

Located in New York, NY

“I thought the world was turned upside down when I started this body of work right after the 2016 presidential election. Little did I know. I had gone to the Woman's March in Washing...

Category

2010s Contemporary E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Fabric, Paper, Acrylic, Pencil, Laser, Gouache

Louis BellonFrench Neo-Impressionist Pointillist Reclining Nude Mid 20th Century Painting, c. 1940s

$1,323Sale Price|20% Off

H 7.5 in W 11 in

French Neo-Impressionist Pointillist Reclining Nude Mid 20th Century Painting

By Louis Bellon

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Pointillist Female Reclining Nude by Louis Bellon (French 1908-1998) signed lower right gouache painting on paper, unframed measurements: 11 x 7...

Category

Mid-20th Century Pointillist E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Watercolor

Josine Vignon1950s French Post Impressionist Painting Nude Model in Parisian Interior, 1950s

$606Sale Price|20% Off

H 14.5 in W 16.5 in D 1 in

1950s French Post Impressionist Painting Nude Model in Parisian Interior

By Josine Vignon

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Josine Vignon (French 1922-2022) ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Impressionist E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Gouache

Jacqueline BoisselotPosed Female Nude Pencil Detailed Sketch 20th Modernist Century Drawing, 20th Century

$563

H 19.75 in W 11 in

Posed Female Nude Pencil Detailed Sketch 20th Modernist Century Drawing

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Nude Female Sketch by Jacqueline Boisselot, French late 20th century size: 19.75 x 11 inches pencil drawing on thin paper, unframed condition: very good and ready to enjoy provenance...

Category

Late 20th Century Modern E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Japanese Shunga, Sitting Woman, Circa 1922

$4,850

H 19.25 in W 23.25 in

Japanese Shunga, Sitting Woman

Located in New Orleans, LA

A beautiful example of the Japanese art form known as shunga, this sensual work depicts woman exploring her sexuality. Hand-painted on paper with splashes of vivid gouache color, the...

Category

Early 20th Century Other Art Style E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Paint, Paper, Gouache

French SchoolMid 20th Century Nude Figure Posed Away Pencil Drawing

$2,420Sale Price|20% Off

H 10.5 in W 8 in D 1 in

Mid 20th Century Nude Figure Posed Away Pencil Drawing

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

French School watercolour/pen drawing on artist paper painting: 10.5 x 8 inches provenance: private collection, England condition: very good and sound condition

Category

20th Century Impressionist E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Pencil

French SchoolMid Century French Cubist Seated Female Nude Interior Figure Study, Mid 20th Century

$618

H 27.5 in W 19.75 in

Mid Century French Cubist Seated Female Nude Interior Figure Study

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Title: Mid Century French Cubist Seated Female Nude Interior Figure Study Medium: Gouache and mixed media on artists paper unframed Size: 27.5 x 19.75 inches (height x width) Proven...

Category

20th Century French School E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Acrylic, Gouache

Neoclassical composition of a sculptor kneeling before his statue of the Madonna, 1750

$500

H 9.73 in W 7.01 in

Neoclassical composition of a sculptor kneeling before his statue of the Madonna

Located in Middletown, NY

An allegory of loyalty, with the subject's dog pictured seated, holding his master's chisel in his mouth; fidelity personified. Italian School, 18th century Ink wash in gray and bl...

Category

Mid-18th Century Italian School E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Laid Paper, Ink, Watercolor

Natalya Mougenot "Woman on blue sheets" (contemporary watercolor painting of a naked woman), 2024

$262

H 11.7 in W 8.27 in D 0.04 in

"Woman on blue sheets" (contemporary watercolor painting of a naked woman)

Located in VÉNISSIEUX, FR

This artwork "Woman on blue sheets" presents a compelling and evocative depiction of a naked woman on blue sheets, characterized by its fluid and expressive use of watercolor. This ...

Category

2010s Contemporary E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Previously Available Items

E. Simms Campbell"What do you mean your wife" First African American Illustrator - Black Artist, 1950

Sold

H 9.5 in W 12 in

"What do you mean your wife" First African American Illustrator - Black Artist

By E. Simms Campbell

Located in Miami, FL

E. Simms Campbel was the first major African American Illustrator. He did covers for Esquire Magazine starting in the 1930s. He created the famou...

Category

1950s Academic E. Simms Campbell Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Board

E. Simms Campbell paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic E. Simms Campbell paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by E. Simms Campbell in paint, pencil, watercolor and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 1960s and is mostly associated with the Impressionist style. Not every interior allows for large E. Simms Campbell paintings, so small editions measuring 11 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Bernie Fuchs, Pauline Palmer, and Robert Philipp. E. Simms Campbell paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $22,000 and tops out at $22,000, while the average work can sell for $22,000.