Ben Denison
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The
enduring appeal of Ben Denison's work is not what would be considered
corny men's magazine humor of the early 1960s, but rather his masterful
painting skills. In the present work, we observe a frenetic brushstroke
application to depict the trees. In the tradition of Modernism, it is
both abstract and representational. Denison's approach was to employ a
simplified, stripped-down, flat use of bold color, eliminating
unnecessary detail, with a high sense of patterning. It focuses on color
relations, interaction shapes and less with the illusion of depth.
Along
with other Illustration luminaries of his generation, he helped define
the look of the late 1950s and early 1960s in magazine illustration.
There may be a reference to Matisse, but Denison has carved out his own
simplified narrative style, which is light, airy, and with an underlying
sense of joyfulness. He is one of the most significant painters to
emerge after World War II. Yet, he is still relatively unknown.
Signed lower left: Denison
Frame Size 22 x 17.25 - Elegantly framed with new metal frame and mat under museum grade glass
Provenance: The Playboy Collection.
The
present work is published on page 92 in the September 1961 issue of
Playboy with the caption: "So I asked myself, what can I do to meet that
big, handsome policeman?"
The caption seems dated but the image looks quite fresh and contemporary.
Wear and markings to margins of board in keeping with illustration and publishing process. Framed under new metal frame and museum glass.