James Montgomery Flagg - watercolor - Self Portrait ? Start Price USD 24,000.00 Current Price USD 24,000.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, July 18, 2008 End Time Monday, July 28, 2008 Location Aptos, California See more about 'James Montgomery Flagg - watercolor - Self Portrait ? ' Description ciajfk.com Store James Montgomery Flagg paints watercolor -- Flagg Want's You !Presently researching to find out if this watercolor is an actual portrait of himself   The frame measures 21 1/4 x 32 inches and the opening in the mat measures 14 2/8 x 20 1/4  inches. The art board that it is painted on, naturally, is a bit bigger than the opening and a bit smaller than the frame.   This portrait is unique for the man and his bright blue shirt is wearing a goldish tie bar at the top of his tie.   Underneath the mat there are left over paint marks which were left by Flagg.    Flagg eyebrows are "Bushy" just as he was when he posed as Uncle Sam "Wants You!" The head shot of Flagg painting Nellie was taken in 1910 and it is a profile shot yet it shows his features. The key lies in the actual painting where the gentleman is wearing a gold bar at the top of the tie. Unlike Phil Hill.  Phil Hill became famous in 1958 when he won the Le Mans Race.  Phil began racing in England in 1948, yet his age and the portrait do not jive.  Flagg had quit painting years before his death on May 27, 1960 because of failing eyesight.  So it is most likely a self portrait of himself from a photo or another person. James Montgomery Flagg is remembered for painting the original painting of "Uncle Sam Wants You."  What people believe is that Uncle Sam was modeled by James Montgomery Flagg.  The Flagg family his denied this. Flagg was an actor, author and a painter.  Look at the portraits and do they look a like ?   There is a portrait of Flagg and his daughter "Faith" Flagg has the same blondish waving hair with his back to the camera as the portrait.  Have added photos for it shows that Flagg was a snappy dresser with tie.  The Head shot of Flagg painting his wife Nellie McCormick is the greatest example that this may very well be a self portrait.  Yet in looking at John Barrymore and Flagg you can see that the blown up photos show a tie bar at the top.  Look at those stripe pants and shirt! The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | Date: 2008 James Montgomery Flagg 1877-1960 (May 27th), American painter, illustrator, and author, b. Pelham Manor, N.Y. He studied in New York City, in England, and in Paris. Returning to New York, he rapidly won a reputation as an illustrator of versatility, vivacity, and technical skill, contributing to St. Nicholas, Judge, Life, and other magazines. As official artist for New York state during World War I, he designed 45 military posters.  JAMES MONTGOMERY FLAGG CAPTURED 'GLITZ AND GLAMOUR' OF EARLY-20TH CENTURY James Montgomery Flagg "Just the Same" for Life Magazine 10/3/1912; $650. Photo courtesy of Illustration House If you want an honest to goodness taste of the glitz and glamour of early-20th century urban life in America, James Montgomery Flagg is an illustrator who can show you. Flagg lived the life and recorded his experiences through telling sketches. He recreated the courtly dinner parties, stage performances, and trips to Paris for magazine readers all over the world. Flagg?s pen-and-inks breathed life into the theatrical, artistic, literary and political murmurs of an urban America struggling to find its identity. He was steeped in the Roaring 20s of New York City and befriended and sketched most of the big names. Beyond artistic ability, he was a personality in his own right. The sleepy landscapes and sultry rivers of rural America bored Flagg. He left scenes like that to peers such as Norman Rockwell and Maxfield Parrish. Flagg?s portfolio included the likes of Mark Twain, John Barrymore, Greta Garbo, Heddy Lamarr, Merle Oberon, Rosalind Russell and W.C. Fields. A portrait by Flagg meant you made it. Flagg sold his first illustration to St. Nicholas Magazine when he was only 12-years-old. At 14, he started a 20-year career as a staff member with Life Magazine. Every week some publication like Cosmopolitan, Life, Judge, Harper?s Weekly, Scribner?s, and Good Housekeeping carried one of his illustrations. Flagg?s male models embodied his ideal of masculinity with tall, dark and handsome good looks. Ironically, the male models in his illustrations sometimes resembled the artist himself who posed for a number of works. Toward the end of his life, the illustrator said of his career, All my life I have been associated with the clever and witty, the brains you find in some people. Failing eyesight and poor health prevented the artist from working in his final years. He died on May 27th, 1960 in New York. Flagg wrote in his biography that "John Barrymore was his best friend." I have attached photo of John Barrymore and James Montgomery Flagg.  Adamson who is the seller designed website barrymorefamily.com Again check out Flagg is wearing a tie bar while he is standing next to John Barrymore (one would have to look at photograph from book Roses and Buckshot by Flagg.  Flagg also did portrait of Dolores Costello the wife of John Barrymore.   Flagg could have painted his own portrait from a photograph many years later.  One thing is certain he was the master of watercolor.   No matter who this individual is, he is certainly an important man of the mid 20th Century painted by the master James Montgomery Flagg.  Artist Picasso even studied under Flagg.  Funny thing though is that Picasso was known by FBI Director Hoover for being a Communist.  Flagg painted Jane Russell at about the time she was in film Outlaw.    Two years before his death at age 80 Flagg said that he had only one regret: "I miss seeing the new beauties."  For all of his life he painted nudes and beautiful women.Am waiting to hear back from institution who has the largest collection of Flagg material to see if we can confirm the identity.  If this is not Flagg then it was probably done for an advertisement, like Calvert's Whiskey, for whom he did the 'Men of Distinction' or 'Men of Industry' series...after the SECOND World War.  Yet this could have been done and may never have been published.  It came from Florida and seller estimated year of painting at 1947-1952.  Have not been able to track down origin of painting.  Seller is the 11th  great grandson of First Lord Baltimore, George Calvert and grew up around the corner from Phil Hill and used to visit his triple level elevated garage where he stored his vintage classic automobiles.  If it does not sell here will post in auction at my store.  Thanks ~!  Will be doing research on publications.   Flagg painted for such as American Artist, Golden Book Magazine, Good Housekeeping,  American Magazine, Saturday Night Review, Life and others.   If you have any questions please email me at bca@got.net. 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