RARE Original Laszlo Matulay Painting "Untitled" | Signed & Dated (1988)

Laszlo Matulay was a prolific illustrator, muralist, painter, designer, and educator who was regarded as New York’s most sought after illustrators in the mid-to-late 20th century.

This spectacular painting depicts a bright blue & red uniformed soldier dancing with a woman in a brilliant-green gown. The soldier's face belies Matulay's classic "Cheshire Cat" stylistic tone, bringing one to wonder what mischievous thoughts are playing on his mind (the blackening around his eyes only adds to that curiosity). This original one-of-a-kind painting is signed & dated in the lower left corner (L. Matulay Sept. 88) and has been set into a vintage frame, but it can easily be re-mounted into the frame of your choosing!

Matulay's popularity skyrocketed following an exhibition of his work at the 1940 New York World's Fair in the "New Americans" category. His artwork appeared in Harper's Bazaar, Time, and Esquire. Most notably, Matulay illustrated Alice in Wonderland, Anna Karenina, Aristophanes Five Comedies, and Treasure Island.

Matulay's artwork reveals an artist steeped in modernism with the loose, fluid line and color of the mid-20th century. Think Henri Matisse meets Marc Chagall or at times Chaim Soutine with his thick impasto brushtroke. His portraits are a blend of figurative realism and mid-20th century abstract styling.

This, and my other listed original Matulay art pieces were procured via auction from a private collection during the later half of 2022.