Since that time I've kept in touch with Pamela Demme, Rehberger's widow, who last week sent me some interesting new (to me) examples of her late husband's work.
Before we look at those pieces however, here are a few Rehberger illustrations I still hadn't scanned from some mid-'50s issues of Everywoman magazine I own.
Fortuitously, one of those issues included a capsule biography and photo of the artist...
I love how Rehberger is described as "painting with a big stick." How true! I have never found Rehberger's work to be pretty - it's appeal for me is in its energetic, unvarnished honesty.
Rehberger's ink line drawings have an appeal of their own - reminiscent of Ben Stahl's work.
And that finally brings us to the art Pamela recently brought to my attention:
“NEW YORK by Rehberger” - 1948 - is a show at the New York Transit Museum of 22 original subway cards (11x14) done in pen and ink in 1948 by Gustav Rehberger.
He illustrated 22 places of interest around New York: The New Public Library, The Bronx Children’s Zoo, The George Washington Bridge, The Washington Arch, Square Dancing in Manhattan, the statue of Balto, Greeley Square, etc.
Pamela tells me the artworks will be on display until 12/2/2012. There should be more information on the exhibit at the Transit Museum's website, but I wasn't able to locate a specific reference to it. I've contacted the curator and will append this post if I hear anything back.
2 comments:
Really great post, wasn't familiar with his work, will seek more.
My father was a personal friend of Gustav. When I was a very young boy, maybe 5 yrs old, my father and I visited Gustav in his Carnegie Hall studio. Gustav was very nice and talkative with me as I remember it. He asked me what my favorite thing in the world was. Being five, of course it was a super hero, The Incredible Hulk. He asked me what in the world is that, surely he was not watching much TV. He asked to describe it as he stood behind something much taller than I. I explained how Bruce Banner's muscles grow so big they rip through his clothes until he has nothing but riped purple shorts on and messy hair. I did my impersonation of a muscular figure, not really knowing what he was doing. Then he turned to his easel around and said does he look like this? I remember being surprised and saying "yes, but he's green"! Lot's of laughter and then he filled in with some green accents.
I'll never forget that day and always cherish this picture. It's amazing to think that he had no idea what the hulk even was and this was his result. I'll also remember a warm hearted man who paid such special attention to a child and shared his gift.
My family has many of his dramatic paintings and drawings to this day.
http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b496/Gutz430/dc3d7476-3b8b-4790-98e5-72e3e44a5cce_zps4c7b68a9.jpg
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