Patrick Nagel...Turns This Grey Sky to Blue

We are spotlighting an original Patrick Nagel Playboy Painting. This original work on board, which measures 13"x9.75", was first published in Playboy Magazine in December of 1983 in the Playboy Forum section.

This is an exceptional example of Nagel's edgy and alluring work that he created for Playboy Magazine. The colors in the original are extraordinary with beautiful line work that can be seen in a couple of the close-up photos.

Hand signed in the lower right hand corner this original is marked on the back with Playboy's stamp, which reads "PLAYBOY'S ARTWORK REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED WITHOUT PLAYBOY'S PERMISSION."

This original is in perfect condition with no signs of age. With her beautifully squared off eyes, subtle tilt of the shoulder and slight aggressive lean in towards the viewer, she projects just as much sex appeal today as the day she left Nagel's studio!

As the interest from fine art galleries grew in Patrick Nagel's original works, his painting substrate evolved from illustration board to the more traditional and accepted fine art canvas. Many of Nagel's canvas works were adapted from earlier Playboy illustrations. The altered background design elements, different color schemes and omission of nudity were the most frequent changes Nagel made from his Playboy paintings to his canvas works. In the case of "Blue Sweater" as pictured below:

• The Playboy painting on the left contains a yellow geometric shape, where as the canvas painting on the right has a different background shape in a light violet.
• The Playboy version on the left has a classic Nagel paynes grey background, where as the canvas version on the right has a light blue background.
• And the most notable change is in the Blue Sweater itself; in the Playboy painting the cut of the sweater drops low exposing her breast, where as in the canvas painting her breast is covered by the cut of the sweater.

Most commonly referred to as "Blue Sweater", the image of the canvas was released in 1992 as an open edition lithograph measuring 24"x18". Pictured below is this poster which has become familiar to many Nagel collectors as it was mass reproduced.In 2009 Rachel Uffner Gallery held a show titled "Nagel Fades" featuring the photographic prints of Artist Barb Choit and subsequently the artwork of Patrick Nagel. Choit explored the effects of photochemical processes on found objects. She captured the impact of beauty salon materials and apparatuses; chiefly, UV-light-emitting tanning beds on Patrick Nagel’s iconic 1980’s fine art posters. To read more about Barb Choit's show "Nagel Fades" visit the Press Release. Below is an example of Barb Choit's exposure on Patrick Nagel's "Blue Sweater." The finished piece shown at Rachel Uffner Gallery was a Laser Jet Print on Adhesive Paper, Bleach Bath, 2009 digital c-print, measuring 24.75"x18.25" in an edition of 3.
And although it has faded to some...We still Love Living in the 80s

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She Wore a Black Bustier...Original Patrick Nagel Canvas

The design roots of this original acrylic painting on canvas from 1983 came from a smaller original painting on board that Nagel did for Playboy's September 1983 Playboy Forum. The image from Playboy is posted below.
This image was then later cropped and printed in the 1990s by Playboy under the business name of "Special Edition Limited". An image of the print is seen below.
The canvas painting that we're currently offering features a more limited color palette than the Playboy piece, but is a much more refined painting with a stunning face and contrast in tonal quality, as can be seen in the detail photo of her face below.
The canvas painting measuring 43"x31" is in excellent condition. The canvas is signed and dated "1983" and is stretched over a wooden backer, which is a signature element of Nagel's canvas works.

On the back of the wooden stretcher the painting is marked with the cataloging number "N231" as can be seen in the image posted below.
We have included a photo of Nagel at a show signing with this canvas hanging behind him during the event.
Patrick Nagel
Original Acrylic on Canvas
43"x31"
Signed and Dated 1983

For additional information please email: the80sgallery@yahoo.com

A Mountain Climbers Fantasy

Appearing in the 1981 Playboy Forum was Patrick Nagel's adaptation of a mountain climbers oasis!
Resting in her hanging bivouac sack, or bivy sack, is the alluring Nagel Woman. This original ink on board measures 14.5"x9.5" The piece is hand signed in pencil along the right side, as pictured below.
As is consistent with the Nagel originals that appeared in Playboy magazine, the backside of the original is stamped with "PLAYBOY'S ARTWORK REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED WITHOUT PLAYBOY'S PERMISSION". This identification stamp can be seen in the photo below.
This piece was purchased from the collection of Charles Martignette by collector and American mystery writer Max Allan Collins, who wrote the graphic novel "Road to Perdition" and took over the writing of the Dick Tracy comic strip in 1977 from creator Chester Gould. This original was recently acquired from Max Allan Collins and has recently been placed into one of our collectors homes!

For additional information please email: the80sgallery@yahoo.com or visit www.the80sgallery.com

"Closet Found" Original Patrick Nagel Canvas

Just as vintage Ferrari collectors dream of finding a 1963 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso tucked away in a forgotten barn, Nagel collectors fantasize about finding an original Nagel canvas that was pulled off of the wall years ago and stored in the closet. We're proud to show one of these "Closet Found" Nagel's. Measuring 52"x31", this original acrylic painting on canvas has been referenced with the title of "Lisa" bearing the name of the actual model. Painted in 1982, the same year as the famed painting for Duran Duran's chart topping album "Rio", this painting was originally showcased and sold by Galerie Michael in Los Angeles. Having been protected from the light of day for the past 20 years since 1990, this piece is in wonderful condition and is an exceptional example of Nagel's balance of color juxtaposed with the stark contrast of the figure.
The full frontal view of the face is a rare find among Nagel canvas paintings as many of them show a profile or angled view. The full frontal face became so desirable as images like "Texas" (image for Duran Duran Rio) & "Palm Springs Life" became the epitome for Nagel collectors with those striking squared off eyes.The painting is stretched with a wooden backer, which is a signature element for Nagel's original paintings on canvas, and is identified on the wooden stretchers as "N. 412 Sep 10th, 82 52by31"
"Lisa" Original Acrylic on Canvas by Patrick Nagel
For additional information please email: the80sgallery@yahoo.com or visit www.the80sgallery.com

Patrick Nagel Original Painting Market

We've recently received a few inquires about the current marketplace for original paintings by Patrick Nagel. After looking at recent auction results and gallery representation, we wanted to comment on the marketplace for Nagel's originals.

In 1976, Nagel began contributing regularly to Playboy Magazine. Working with one of the most widely read magazines in the world, Playboy exposed and popularized "the Nagel Woman" to a huge audience. In 1978, he created his first poster image for Mirage Editions, which would prove a fruitful relationship with the release of approximately 60 printed images during Nagel's life. In 1982 Nagel's painting for the album cover of Duran Duran's record selling album "Rio" would become one of his most recognizable images. As Nagel's images gained notoriety and collectibility in the early 80's, he began to work on canvas rather than his traditional illustration board. Tragically Nagel died February 4th, 1984 at the age of 38. Since his death the Nagel market has seen a tremendous roller coaster of ups and downs. Immediately following his death there was a surge and fever for collecting Nagel's iconic images. As the commemorative prints were developed, Nagel's name and images became synonymous with the climate and attitude of the 1980's. But as the "me" decade of the 80's passed into the 90's, the boasting bright neon colors were put away as the Savings and Loan Crisis left many melancholy in '91. Nagel's images quickly declined in popularity as the over printing of the commemoratives watered down the market. For a good portion of the general public the images became passe and took on a negative association. Once the prints were pulled off the walls of bachelor pads, they were found in abundance at thrift stores.

As the 1980's have seen a revival in popular culture, we have seen growth in the collector base and the price for original paintings. In September of 2007 Just Looking Gallery of San Luis Obispo, California held the largest Nagel show in 25 years. Working with the Nagel Estate, Just Looking Gallery brought approximately 200 original pieces to the public's attention. The introduction of original works into a gallery brought a great deal of validation back to Nagel's work. As old collectors were introduced to never before seen images, collectors from a new generation were born. Of the nearly 200 originals, approximately 100 were original acrylic paintings. Of those paintings there were 11 original canvas paintings shown. While it's unknown how many paintings on canvas Nagel created, it is believed that he painted somewhere around 50 originals. Since the retrospective show, there have been approximately 10 paintings that have come available through auction houses in the U.S. In the past year, the acrylic on board paintings have been averaging around $7,000 at auction. And while auction houses have seen a number of acrylic paintings on board sell, it is the rare canvas works that seem locked into collections. The auction block has been void of the canvas works, but prices have been hovering around $20,000 on a secondary market. Since Just Looking Gallery's retrospective show in 2007, we have seen an annual increase of around 10% at the auctions. With there still being more qualified collectors of Nagel's work than there are available Nagel originals, it's safe to say that there is room to grow!The three images above are original acrylic paintings on board that were auctioned at Heritage Auctions on October 20th, 2009. (Woman in Fishnet $7,170.00 / Woman on Toilet $9,560.00 / Woman in Jacket $13,742.50)
The two images above are original acrylic paintings on canvas that were represented and sold by Just Looking Gallery in October of 2009. (Woman Removing Top approximately $18,000.00 / Woman with Polka Dot Earring approximately $18,000.00)