Each lithograph in this 1997 Signature Series is hand-signed by both Al Hirschfeld and his subject − the late Bob Hope, Jack Lemmon and Carol Channing − the only double-signed editions by the late pen & ink legend, Al Hirschfeld.

Each edition is pulled on Arches paper measuring 20"x 16", and is strictly limited to 410 hand-signed impressions. Lithographs will come with two Certificates of Authenticity − one verifying Hirschfeld’s art and signature, the second verifying the Celebrity’s signature.

The current retail price for a Matched Set of these three lithographs − the same print number in all three editions − is $17,950 unframed. The aggregate of Hirschfeld's work is monumental. His drawings represent a record of the American Theater in the 20th Century. He produced drawings for the New York Times for over 70 years, and he taught animators at Disney the essence of line drawing as they created the feature film "Aladdin".

In 1996, a documentary of his life, "The Line King", was nominated for an Academy Award. His works are in more than 50 museums worldwide including The Smithsonian Institution, The National Portrait Gallery, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art and The Whitney Museum.

AL HIRSCHFELD

JUNE 21, 1903 - JANUARY 20, 2003

Al Hirschfeld was born in St. Louis on the first day of summer in 1903. He passed away in the winter on January 20, 2003, after living nearly a full century. When he was 11 years old, an art teacher informed his mother, "there is nothing more we can teach him in St. Louis." The family then moved to New York. Soon he was enrolled at the Art Student's League. By the age of 17, Hirschfeld became an Art Director at Selznick Pictures in Hollywood. He held the position for about 4 years and then in 1924 he moved to Paris to work, live the Bohemian life, and grow a beard. After about 6 months, he returned to New York primed to be a painter. But in December 1926 a sketch he had drawn of an actor was published in the NY Herald Tribune.

Within 2 years, his theatrical drawings were appearing in 5 different New York newspapers, including the New York Times, for whom he still works today.

During the Thirties, as the American Theater grew in popularity, Hirschfeld's job was to capture the essence of each new play on opening night. Each drawing would be published in the Times the following Sunday, and still appear today. His priceless catalogue of over 7,000 drawings records the many plays and actors, both famous and obscure.

In 1943, Hirschfeld married one of Europe's most famous actresses, the late Dolly Haas. Their daughter Nina was born in 1945 and in celebration, Hirschfeld printed her name in the background of a theatrical poster he had drawn that day. Since her birth, Hirschfeld has continued the "harmless insanity", as he calls it, of hiding his daughter's name at least once in each of his drawings - it has become a game he plays with his audience. The flowing lines of the NINAs are worked into the folds of drapery or strands of hair. In 1960, he added a number after his signature to indicate how many NINAs he'd hidden in that drawing.

In 1991, Al Hirschfeld became the first artist in history to have his name on a U.S. postage stamp booklet. The United States Postal Service commissioned him to design five stamps from his drawings of Laurel & Hardy, Jack Benny, Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, Abbott & Costello, and Fanny Brice. These postage stamps were so successful that Hirschfeld was again commissioned to wield his pen on behalf of the USPS. In 1994, a new series was issued honoring 10 of Hollywood's silent screen icons including Rudolf Valentino, Clara Bow, Charlie Chaplin, John Gilbert, Lon Chaney, the Keystone Cops, Theda Bara, Zasu Pitts, Harold Lloyd, and Buster Keaton.

The aggregate of Hirschfeld's work is monumental. He produced drawings for the New York Times for over 70 years. His drawings represent a record of the American Theater in the 20th Century. He taught the animators at Disney the essence of line drawing as they created the animated feature "Aladdin". In 1996, a documentary of his life, "The Line King", was nominated for an Academy Award. His works are in more than 50 museums worldwide, including, The Smithsonian Institution, The National Portrait Gallery, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

In 1996, David Hakan published The Al Hirschfeld Signature Series, the only 4 Hirschfeld editions out of more than 7,000 of his drawings that have 2 original signatures on each lithograph - one by Hirschfeld and the other by the celebrity - Bob Hope, Jack Lemmon, Carol Channing and David Copperfield.