Auction Item Details
Lot 620a
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Lot Number: 620
Description: Significant "The Wide Swing" Joe DiMaggio original painting by Harvey Dinnerstein. Few images in the history of sport are more recognizable than the graceful swing of Joe DiMaggio. Offered is the original oil on canvas painting of Joe DiMaggio as executed by noted artist Harvey Dinnerstein. Dinnerstein is highly regarded for his realism in portrayals of people in their natural surroundings. A student of Moses Sawyer (1944-46) his work is exhibited in numerous prestigious venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Museum of American Art. The painting was originally commissioned by Sports Illustrated in 1974 as part of a "Living Legends" series of limited edition prints which were to be made from the original artwork and then subsequently autographed by the respective athletes (See Lot 81). The painting was inspired by the famed image taken in 1941 at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. picturing DiMaggio in his classic follow through during the 56 game hit streak. DiMaggio himself had given input on the execution of the painting, which captured the effortless power of his swing like no other artistic portrayal before or since. The colors remain vibrant, yet subtle, focusing the eye of the viewer on DiMaggio. After its use in the Sports Illustrated series, the painting was acquired by Philip Desind, renowned collector of 20th Century realism art. With notable foresight, Desind seized the opportunity to acquire the offered painting directly from the artist in 1974, recognizing the importance of the original art itself as well as the autographed prints for which it was created. Since its acquisition, "The Wide Swing" has quite possibly become one of the most viewed pieces of baseball artwork, seen by millions of people both nationally and internationally, through exposure at numerous art exhibitions, publication mediums, and museum displays. The painting served as the cover art for several prominent publications including Summer of '49 by David Halberstam, Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball: American League Team Histories, and Diamonds are Forever: Artists and Writers on Baseball exhibition catalogue. The Paramount Pictures film Wonder Boys starring Michael Douglas and Toby Maguire, also featured the painting as a background prop. Philip Desind passed away in 1996 at the age of 86. The painting is being offered as part of this historic auction of Joe DiMaggio materials by the daughter of Mr. Desind. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. Unique offering of a timeless artwork of historical and cultural import. 24"x32" framed: EX-MT Exhibited: Washington, D.C., The National Portrait Gallery; Chicago, Illinois, Chicago Historical Society; New York, The American Museum of Natural History, Champions: Heroes of American Sport, June 1981-1982, illustrated; Youngstown, Ohio, Butler Institute of American Art, Mainstream America: The Collection of Phil Desind, March-April 1987, illustrated on the cover; New York, The New York Museum; Oakland, California, The Oakland Museum of Art, Diamonds are Forever: Artists and Baseball, September-January 1990, illustrated on the cover; Gainesville, Florida, The University of Florida Museum of Art; Deland, Florida, The Deland Museum of Art; Tampa, Florida, The Tampa Museum of Art; Shands Hospital, Florida, Gallery 2000; Danville, Virginia, The Danville Museum of Art; Hollywood, Florida, The Hollywood Art and Culture Center; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Louisiana arts and Sciences Center; Mobile, Alabama, The Fine Arts Museum of the South, Styles Strands and Sequences: American Realist Paintings and Drawings from the Philip Desind Collection, 1991-1995, illustrated South Bend, Indiana, the South Bend Reginal Arts Museum, Getting Real: Twentieth Century Realism from the Philip Desind Collection, September 1994, illustrated, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Fitchburg Art Museum.
Estimated Price: ($75,000.00-$125,000.00)
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