Girl Power

It's easy to warm up to this fantastic watercolor painting of a woman in a fuzzy black hood. This headliner from the Pantages Portfolio was painted by Ludwig Bemelmans in Madrid in 1955. With just a few simple brush strokes and the bold use of color, he brings this stunning woman to life.

Ludwig Bemelmans (1898-1962) was born in what is now part of Italy. He came to the United States in 1917 and became a citizen a year later in 1918. He worked at hotels during the day and painted at night, but had minimal artistic success through the early 1930's. Bemelmans started working on children's books in 1934. His big success came in 1939 with the first Madeline book, published by Simon & Schuster. This book starred Madeline, a 7-year-old girl who attended boarding school in Paris. He would go on to write seven books in the Madeline series, the last published posthumously in 1999. The story's heroine was named after Bemelmans' wife, Madeleine "Mimi" Freund. Bemelmans' only work on display to the public is a mural he drew on the walls of the Bemelmans Bar, located in New York City's historic Carlyle Hotel.

Well Hello, Handsome!

Oh boy! It's easy to see why this portrait of a beautiful child is Judy's favorite find this week from the Pantages Portfolio. It is skillfully done and beautifully executed - with a timeless look and feel to it. The boy's expression is both earnest and irresistible - with a hint of "Peter Pan" to it.

This painting was created by artist Henning Ryden (1869-1939) who was born in Sweden but came to the United States in 1891. Initially trained as an engraver, his portfolio would grow to include paintings and sculptures over time. Ryden's work was featured in a number of nationally recognized exhibits. He is also known for his award and commemorative medals, having produced examples for organizations including the PGA (Professional Golfers Association), the Colombian Exhibition in Chicago, and the Chicago Horticultural Society.

Right Brain Frenzy

"So people have been asking, "What is happening behind the scenes with this collection?" Judy has been working around the clock studying, researching, measuring, photographing, cataloging and entering each example into our inventory system. It's a labor of love, and passion, at the same time.

Here is a sampling of what Judy has been working on the last few days. These three pictures here truly represent the eclectic nature of the collection. Every time I walk into Judy's office, I see images for the first time. This is really exciting, and I find myself eager and delighted each time I find myself in her work space.

Every picture is handled with TLC as it is prepped for the sale. Good thing Judy loves rolling around in art, though by days end she has a real right brain high going on. We are being extremely careful with authentication and have discovered some fakes as well as some very positive surprises. We are so very lucky to have Judy and her rare set of talents working so diligently for this collection." - Peter Smith