JAMES MONTGOMERY FLAGG (AMERICAN,
JAMES MONTGOMERY FLAGG (AMERICAN, 1877 - 1960), "ESCAPING TO THE SUNNY SOUTH", WATERCOLOR DRAWING ON PAPER, DEPICTS TWO WELCOMING BU...James Montgomery Flagg (American, 1877 - 1960), "Escaping to the Sunny South", watercolor drawing on paper, depicts two welcoming buxom beauties in bathing suits surrounded by warmth and palm trees at left, an unhappy old man winter grasping at window UR and full figure of Flagg running towards warmth while tossing aside coat and tie, text at UL reads "CHECKING HIS COAT AND HAT WITH ZERO, HE DOESN'T NEED A CHECK! -AS OF FEB. 14 19__", text at LR reads "A FUGITIVE FROM WINTER, HE'S SOUTH ON BAIL, EIGHT DAYS OF SUNSHINED- SLINKS BACK TO JAIL!" and "OR, AS MASTER MONTY FLAGG SAID TO NOBODY'S WIFE ONLY THIS A.M.; 'ILLUSIONS ARE THE ONLY REALITY!'", unframed, with wear consistent with age and use including original creases, light toning and waving of paper, sheet size: 8 1/2" h. x 11" w. [PROVENANCE: Current owner received pieces from family member, Willis Birchman; Birchman was a close friend of Flagg and received these pieces directly from Flagg as gifts or correspondence. Willis Birchman was an artist and caricaturist in the New Haven area, who had a weekly column and caricature of New Haven personalities in the Sunday editions of The New Haven Register. Early in his career, Willis wrote to James Montgomery Flagg and sought advice on samples of his work. Flagg responded with words of advice, and a friendship grew between them. Willis Birchman and his correspondence with Flagg are mentioned by Flagg in his autobiography (Roses and Buckshot. Flagg James. Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1946.) Birchman was also author of a book that has an introduction written by Flagg. (Faces & Facts by and About 26 Contemporary Artists, Birchman, Willis, Biographies by. With an Introduction by James Montgomery Flagg. Published by [New Haven, CT]: "Privately Printed", 1937). During the 1940's Flagg would frequently take the train from New York City to New Haven on weekends and stay with Willis and his wife Doris.]
