This is an Original Limited Edition (350) Hand-signed & Numbered, Screen Print by Patrick Nagel. ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST (M.26), 1982, color screenprint poster, signed in pencil, numbered 262/350, published by Mirage Editions, sheet 25 ½ x 15”. From the collection of designer Dean Reynolds.
Disclaimer - Our prints/original art are purchased from various dealers, auctions and sales as "genuine" some with Certificates of Authentication", and are sold by us as such. However, in the unlikely event that the article is not genuine, we will make an immediate and full refund, without hesitation, if the item is returned to us in exactly the same condition it was received, with no damage, marks or folds, within 14 days of receipt.
The Pop Art of Patrick Nagel needs little introduction. His
minimalist style defined an era with cool, seductive women that became the most
iconic of any single generation. His elegant graphic work and his portrayal of
the contemporary woman made figurative design before him look instantly old.
Today his unique sensibility and style continue to resonate with generations of
young designers, illustrators and artists who have found inspiration from his
trend-setting style.
Nagel was in the forefront of a new wave of illustration in
Los Angeles in the late 1970’s and early 80’s, re-imagining the graphic arts
and in the process defining Los Angeles as the epicenter of award-winning
visual arts. It was a reciprocal relationship; Los Angeles influenced his
evolving style and in return he left his indelible mark on the city and far
beyond. Through cultural cross-pollination, his work absorbed the moment – from
the fashion photography of Guy Bourdin and Helmut Newton to influencing the
look of music videos by David Bowie, Robert Palmer and George Michael, to
creating the album cover art of Duran Duran.
Patrick Nagel was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1945 and was
raised in Orange County, California. After returning from his tour in Viet Nam,
he studied fine art at Chouinard Art Institute and California State University,
Fullerton where he received his BA in 1969 in painting and graphic design. He
then taught at Art Center College of Design while simultaneously establishing
himself as a free-lance designer and illustrator with memorable ads for Ballantine
Scotch, IBM and covers for Harper’s magazine.
In the mid-70’s he began illustrating stories for Playboy
magazine, bringing instant exposure and a large appreciative audience to his
work. His years working with Playboy established him as the heir apparent to
50’s pin-up artist Alberto Vargas and gave Nagel the subject matter that he
would continue to use to illustrate the newly liberated woman.
Over the last one hundred years, poster art has been one of
the most humble, influential and pervasive of all the arts. But in the U.S in
the 70’s, where poster art had not been used to its best effect, an opportunity
arose to change the status quo. Nagel, in partnership with Mirage Editions and
fine art printer Jeff Wasserman, sought to recapture the beauty and power that
posters once held in popular culture by returning to a model created at the
turn
of the century with artists such as Toulouse Lautrec and A.
M. Cassandre. They sought to produce the highest quality hand screened art
prints that would also serve as collectible advertising art for businesses.
Over Nagel’s career, 60 limited edition silk-screened prints were completed and
were sold out upon release and Nagel’s iconic women found their way to
worldwide recognition. Nagel’s woman is complicated - which is the key to her
subliminal appeal. She wants attention, sometimes flauntingly, but remains
distant. She appears intelligent, self-possessed, but removed. Nagel often said
that he didn’t really want to know these women too well. He imagined them as creatures
of the night who drank and smoked too much. Perhaps, but they remain always in
control. In the pin-up tradition of women as object, Nagel’s portrayal of them
was a break from the past, reflecting the rapidly changing role of women in
America. His style evolved subtly along with the times. His women of the
seventies are shown as softer, more vulnerable and innocent than his stronger,
more self assured women of the eighties.
The world of fashion and music have come full circle...back
to the eighties; an appreciation of a flamboyant decade brimming with creative
collaborations and groundbreaking art. Today, 25 years after the artist’s
death, he is now considered one of the giants of American illustration with
work in major collections and museums around the world. With his popularity
continuing to grow, we are pleased to announce the planned future release of a
new series of fine art limited edition prints.