158. William Hemmerling (American/Louisiana, 1943‑2009), “Waiting in Line”, oil on panel, signed lower right, 40 in. x 48 1/4 in., original frame. $6000/8000
156. George Rodrigue (American/Louisiana, 1944‑2013), “A Warm Glow on a Dark Night”, 1992, oil on linen, signed lower left, signed and dated en verso, 40 in. x 30 in., framed. $50000/80000
157 Theora Hamblett (American/Mississippi, 1895‑1977), “Tree Jumping”, 1976, oil on linen, signed and dated lower right, 20 in. x 16 in., framed; together with framed notes from artist. (2 pcs.) $15000/25000
159. William Hemmerling (American/ Louisiana, 1943‑2009), “Sweet Oliver”, 2005, mixed media on panel, signed lower right, titled on frame, signed, dated and inscribed en verso, 30 in. x 16 in., original frame. $3000/5000
160. William Hemmerling (American/ Louisiana, 1943‑2009), “Sweet Olive”, oil on panel, signed twice lower right, titled upper and lower center, 36 1/2 in. x 17 in., unframed. $3000/5000
Note: Friend and fellow artist, George Rodrigue, described Hemmerling as such: “He paints from his heart, from his soul, he really paints what he feels... He has no boundaries. I think he’s a free spirit. He’s real sincere about himself. And the paintings are honest and straightforward. It’s beautiful art.” This open sincerity and wholesomeness is well reflected in the important painting offered here. School children waiting in line are depicted with sensitive grace, and the innocence of the artist and his intent are mirrored in the style and subject matter, resulting in a touching portrayal of the purity of childhood. Ref.: Rose, Chris. “Louisiana folk artist Bill Hemmerling dies at home in Ponchatoula.” The Times‑Picayune. June 16, 2009. www.nola.com. Accessed: May 20, 2019.
161. Marie Atkinson Hull (American/Mississippi, 1890‑1980), “Mississippi River Scene”, oil on canvas, signed lower left, inscribed “Landscape M. Hull” on stretcher, 26 in. x 36 in., framed. $7000/9000 Provenance: Natchez Art Association.
162. George Rodrigue (American/Louisiana, 1944‑2013), “My Moon My Life”, 1990, oil on canvas, signed lower left, signed, titled and dated en verso, 30 in. x 24 in., original frame. $50000/80000 Provenance: Acquired from the artist, New Orleans, LA, 1991.
Ill.: Rodrigue, George. Blue Dog. New York: Viking Studio Books, 1994, ch. 9.
Note: In 1990, George Rodrigue filled his New Orleans gallery with Blue Dog paintings for Super Bowl XXIV, attracting the attention of both collectors and the national media. These early paintings in the series originated from and still bore striking similarity to their loup‑garou predecessors, with textured fur and a light blue‑grey color. The Blue Dog remained within the Louisiana landscape of Rodrigue’s Cajun series, however, he began for the first time to think of them as something outside of the bayous and swamps. A phenomenon had begun, and the early Blue Dogs very soon shifted into a number of different series as the artist explored new directions. “My Moon My Life” offered here represents the brief, but highly important, transitional moment for Rodrigue, bridging the Cajun series and Blue Dog series.
“My Moon My Life” also served as the album cover of “Dans Le Creux Du Bois (In the Deep of the Woods)” by John “The Cajun Balladeer” DuBois. Born in Vermillion Parish, DuBois is credited with preserving many forgotten classic Cajun and French tunes, passed on to him by his grandparents and childhood music teacher. He recorded Cajun ballads for the Folk Music Archives in the Library of Congress and was a popular festival performer. A friend of Rodrigue, DuBois provided the music for the opening party of Galerie Blue Dog in Carmel‑by‑the‑Sea, California in 1991 while Chef Paul Prudhomme catered for the crowds. Ref.: Rodrigue, Wendy. “Blue Dog: The Ghost of Tiffany, 1990‑1992.” Musings of an Artist’s Wife. Nov. 1, 2009. www.wendyrodrigue.com. Accessed May 19, 2019. Neal Auction Company would like to thank Wendy Rodrigue for her assistance with this note.
John DuBois and George Rodrigue, Carmel, CA, 1991. Photograph courtesy of Wendy Rodrigue. Additional information at www.nealauction.com
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