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Alfa Romeo Traffic Stop - Playboy Cartoon - Mid Century

Creator: Ben Denison - Playboy Magazine
Offered by: Robert Funk Fine Art

Description
The enduring appeal of Ben Denison's work is not what would be considered corny men's magazine humor of the early 1960s, but rather his masterful painting skills. In the present work, we observe a frenetic brushstroke application to depict the trees. In the tradition of Modernism, it is both abstract and representational. Denison's approach was to employ a simplified, stripped-down, flat use of bold color, eliminating unnecessary detail, with a high sense of patterning. It focuses on color relations, interaction shapes and less with the illusion of depth.
Along with other Illustration luminaries of his generation, he helped define the look of the late 1950s and early 1960s in magazine illustration. There may be a reference to Matisse, but Denison has carved out his own simplified narrative style, which is light, airy, and with an underlying sense of joyfulness. He is one of the most significant painters to emerge after World War II. Yet, he is still relatively unknown.
Signed lower left: Denison
Frame Size 22 x 17.25 - Elegantly framed with new metal frame and mat under museum-grade glass
Provenance: The Playboy Collection.
The present work is published on page 92 in the September 1961 issue of Playboy with the caption: "So I asked myself, what can I do to meet that big, handsome policeman?"

Wear and markings to margins of board in keeping with illustration and publishing process. Framed under glass.

More Information

Documentation:	Signed
Origin:	United States, New York
Period:	1950-1979
Materials:	Gouache, Pencil on Board
Condition:	Good. Very good Wear and markings to margins of board in keeping with illustration and publishing process
Creation Date:	1961
Styles / Movements:	Abstract Expressionism, Modernism, Illustration
Incollect Reference #:	816827

Dimensions

W.	17 in;	H.	21.25 in;
W.	43.18 cm;	H.	53.98 cm;

Message from Seller:

Robert Funk Fine Art in Miami offers an eclectic collection shaped by 45 years of experience, blending art with commercial perspectives. For inquiries or art advisory services, contact Robert Funk at decoypoet@yahoo.com or 305.857.0521.