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During a career spanning more than seventy years, caricaturist Al Hirschfeld drew whimsical yet sharply observed portraits of virtually every major twentieth-century entertainer, politician, and celebrity. His elegantly minimalist style influenced generations of illustrators and cartoonists and provided the model for animated characters such as the genie in the Disney film Aladdin (1992). Hirschfeld’s work was featured in publications as diverse as the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and TV Guide, and even graced the cover of Aerosmith’s album Draw the Line (1977). His drawings drew more attention when it became known that he discreetly wove his daughter’s name, Nina, into his illustrations’ flowing lines.
In this portrait, Miriam Troop represented the artist still at work at age ninety-six. In tribute to his long career, she included several of his celebrity caricatures in the background, including those of Arthur Rubinstein, Sonny and Cher, Carol Burnett, and Jerry Seinfeld.
Nacido en St. Louis, Misuri
Durante una carrera de más de 70 años, el caricaturista Al Hirschfeld dibujó retratos chistosos y a la vez penetrantes de casi todos los artistas, políticos y celebridades importantes del siglo XX. Su elegante estilo minimalista influyó en generaciones de ilustradores y humoristas gráficos, y fue modelo para el desarrollo de personajes animados tales como el genio en la película Aladino (1992) de Disney. La obra de Hirschfeld figuró en publicaciones tan diversas como el New York Times, Rolling Stone y TV Guide, e incluso en la carátula del disco de Aerosmith Draw the Line (1977). Sus dibujos atrajeron aún mayor atención cuando se supo que entre sus líneas fluidas escondía discretamente el nombre de su hija, Nina.
En este retrato, Miriam Troop mostró al artista aún activo a los 96 años. Como tributo a su larga carrera, incluyó en el fondo varias de sus caricaturas de personalidades, entre ellas Arthur Rubinstein, Sonny y Cher, Carol Burnett y Jerry Seinfeld.