Feb 04, 2021 - Sale 2557

Sale 2557 - Lot 39

Price Realized: $ 1,250
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 1,000 - $ 1,500

ARTHUR GETZ (1913-1998).


Archive of contracts and photographs for 3 Federal Art Project murals.
25 items in one box; condition generally strong. Vp, 1939-42Vp, 1939-42

Additional Details

The illustrator Arthur Getz (1913-1998) had 213 of his drawings published as New Yorker covers over the course of a long career. As a young artist, he also completed murals for the Federal Art Project from 1939 to 1942. Offered here are his personal files relating to 3 of those projects, all at rural post offices: "Early Commerce in Erie Canal Region" in Lancaster, NY; "Harvest" in Bronson, MI; and "Cotton Field" in Luverne, AL. Each project is represented by a pair of mounted photographs of the preliminary "cartoon" sketch facing the finished mural, mounted on a folding piece of heavy artist's board for a total presentation of about 4 x 21 inches. Each is also documented by an official typescript of his project contract. In addition, the Lancaster mural is represented by a color transparency and 8 photographs; the Bronson mural by 5 photographs; and the Luverne mural by a color transparency and 3 photographs. Last is a photograph of his submission for a Social Security Building mural competition.