?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 8,000 - $ 12,000
Liberace. Gouache on board, 181/2x161/2 inches. Signed lower right. 1954. "A drawing I did of Liberace for a cover of Colliers magazine brought a fan letter from his agents in California. . . . they wanted very much to obtain it. I replied that the original could be purchased for what I thought to be a reasonable amount. By return mail I received a furiously worded letter apprising me of Mr. Liberace's great collection of paintings . . . all of the paintings in the collection were portraits of the master done by great artists, and up to now no one had ever asked for money. I responded immediately, apologizing for the misunderstanding and my seeming ingratitude at being selected for inclusion in this remarkable collection. I promised faithfully to dispatch, without further ado, the original painting to Mr. Liberace posthaste without payment of any kind, to hang in his living room . . . on one condition - that they send me Mr. Liberace to hang in mine." published in colliers, september 3, 1954, cover. Exhibited at Katonah Museum of Art "In Line with Al Hirschfeld" exhibit, 1998
