Art by renowned portraitist selling on Amazon

Image
AP New York
Last Updated : Jun 11 2014 | 2:15 PM IST
Leading American portraitist Everett Raymond Kinstler has painted the world's most recognisable faces, including seven US presidents and thousands of luminaries in film and theatre.
Now 24 of his portraits 22 of which have never been offered for sale are available for purchase on Amazon.
They include drawings, portraits and studies and two lithographs from the New York artist's personal collection of Katharine Hepburn, James Cagney and other stars of the big screen.
"Kinstler & Hollywood," a month-long exhibition of the 24 works is on view through July 7 at the Mountainsong Galleries in Carmel, California.
They range in price from USD 5,000 for a 1979 picture of John Wayne to USD 150,000 for a portrait of Christopher Plummer as Prospero in Shakespeare's "The Tempest."
Some are signed by the subjects, including a pencil sketch of Hepburn priced at USD 30,000. A life-size oil portrait of the actress, who posed for Kinstler many times, hangs in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
Kinstler, whose work has also appeared at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has many anecdotes about his subjects.
With Hepburn, he said, he didn't have a clue how to interpret her.
"She was very much like the image of her in the movies: She was feisty, opinionated, difficult and an extraordinary person," he said.
"I told her I'm not a salesman" and that broke the ice, he said. "She said to me: 'Of course you're a salesman. I'm a salesman. What's wrong with being a salesman?'"
All the works are available for purchase on Amazon Art, an online marketplace launched last year offering over 60,000 original and limited edition artworks from some 300 galleries and dealers.
The 87-year-old Kinstler said he decided to part with the works after asking himself "What will happen to these sketches and drawings when I won't be around?"
They include one of Ronald Reagan, who is included in the Hollywood collection because of Reagan's many years as an actor. The portrait is for sale for USD 80,000 and is an oil study from life of Reagan for his official 1990 White House portrait.
"These are pieces of American history," said Stephanie Plunkett, chief curator at the Norman Rockwell Museum, which presented an exhibition of Kinstler's works in 2012.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jun 11 2014 | 2:15 PM IST

Next Story