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Lot #687
Rouben Mamoulian Original Sketch from Porgy and Bess - Presented to Ira Gershwin

Rouben Mamoulian, the director of Porgy and Bess, gifts a large production sketch to Ira Gershwin

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Estimate: $1000+
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Description

Rouben Mamoulian, the director of Porgy and Bess, gifts a large production sketch to Ira Gershwin

Oversized original sketch by film and theatre director Rouben Mamoulian, who draws a scene from Porgy and Bess that depicts two African American women walking, one holding an infant and both head-carrying baskets. Accomplished in graphite on an off-white 12.5 x 16.5 sheet of artist paper, which is signed and inscribed in the lower left corner in pencil, “To Lee and Ira, with love, Rouben, Sept. 1941.” Matted and framed to an overall size of 21.5 x 25.5. In fine condition, with an old tape stain to the upper left edge. Mamoulian began his Broadway director career with a production of DuBose Heyward's Porgy, which opened on October 10, 1927. He directed the revival of Porgy two years later and, after several years of making movies in Hollywood, he returned to the stage to direct George Gershwin's operatic treatment of Porgy and Bess, which opened on October 10, 1935. Mamoulian was also originally hired to direct the 1959 film adaptation, but he was subsequently fired in favor of director Otto Preminger after a disagreement with the producer; namely, Mamoulian wanted to film on location in South Carolina after a fire on the sound stage destroyed the film's sets.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Fine Autograph and Artifacts Featuring Presidents
  • Dates: #658 - Ended February 08, 2023





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