Media Center: ‘Hirschfeld Century’ by Al Hirschfeld

Media Center: ‘Hirschfeld Century’ by Al Hirschfeld

WHO: Al Hirschfeld

WHAT: THE HIRSCHFELD CENTURY:
Portrait of an Artist and His Age,
Edited and with text by David Leopold

WHEN: Published by Knopf July 8, 2015

WHERE: Hirschfeld was born in St. Louis and lived in New York.

WHY: “A star-studded, anecdote-rich, critically clarifying, and thoroughly enlightening portrait of the portraitist.
“Al Hirschfeld’s performing-arts caricatures, which enlivened the pages of the New York Times for 75 years, are ebullient works of art, what with the precision and vivacity of his line, vivid articulation of his subjects’ personalities, and virtuoso rendering of motion.
“Born in St. Louis in 1903, Hirschfeld died in 2003, having spent his long, exuberantly productive life attending opening nights and drawing dynamic portraits of each era’s defining stars of stage, film, and television. With perpetual curiosity, a passionate work ethic, and a ‘seemingly unquenchable thirst for assignments,’ the prolific Hirschfeld also created movie posters, magazine covers, postage stamp designs, and book illustrations.
“Curator David Leopold has been immersed in all things Hirschfeld for 25 years and now presents a gloriously illustrated, decade-by-decade account of the work and life of the irrepressible caricaturist, or, as Hirschfeld preferred, ‘characterist.’ Given his trust in chance and spontaneity, it’s fitting that Hirschfeld’s first drawing was published after it was fished out of a wastepaper basket at Goldwyn Pictures where, at 17, he was working as a gofer. Hirschfeld’s career took off and never stopped as he embraced the ever-changing arts world with an ‘almost childlike sense of wonder,’ ultimately creating a visual history of the twentieth century’s performance milestones.”
—Donna Seaman, in a starred review by BOOKLIST

“A richly illustrated study of the artist who richly illustrated publications, marquees, and other venues for eight decades.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS

Art galleryFrom left: Alfred Hitchcock, 1957; Elvis Presley, 1968; Carol Channing, 1964; and Tommy Tune, 2002.

Media Resources:
About the book | Download the jacket | Download the self-portrait of Hirschfeld | Down the image of Alfred Hitchcock | Down the image of Elvis Presley | Down the image of Carol Channing | Down the image of Tommy Tune

Publicist for this title:
Kathy Zuckerman | 212-572-2105 | kzuckerman@penguinrandomhouse.com

A major exhibition of Hirschfeld’s art is on display through October 12, 2015 at the New-York Historical Society. For more information visit http://www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions/hirschfeld