Audrey Hepburn Portrait from Breakfast at Tiffany original artwork on paper

Glamour illustrator paints Audrey Hepburn for the iconic movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. It features a sultry portrait set against a seamless background, with the actress holding an elongated cigarette holder. In 1961, during the filming of Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey Hepburn did a still photo shoot, and one of the photos was almost identical to Jon Whitcomb's illustration. At the time, Whitcomb was one of the most famous illustrators of glamorous women. He was the go-to guy for painting glamour stars' portraits and scores of magazine covers for Cosmopolitan, Ladies' Home Journal, McCall's, among others, attesting to his talent and fame. We are not sure whether this illustration served as the comp reference for Hepburn's photos or vice versa. Since Whitcomb was an original thinker and a masterful graphic designer, one would think this illustration was central to the advertising campaign. He was most definitely involved with the movie project, though they ultimately used an illustration of Miss Hepburn sporting the large cigarette holder; the final published artwork was done by Robert McGinnis. The most likely scenario is that this illustration by Whitcomb was an alternative piece based on the Hepburn photo shoot for the main movie poster but did not run. With any big movie project, they always commission several works and then test them to see which has the most impact. Signed in the lower right. Work is framed under glass to 18.5 x 17.5,
Overall, good condition - paper has undulations, most likely due to moisture from the artist's water-based paint application. Undulations are not visible in frontal view but are more prominent in a side view and with raking light.