The Hirschfeld Century is a beautifully designed combination art book and biography of Al Hirschfeld (1903-2003) that not only showcases his innovative art but also illuminates his life with thoughtfully researched, fascinating text by curator and Hirschfeld authority David Leopold.
In a career that spanned nine decades (and nearly 10,000 drawings), Hirschfeld created art for movie posters, book jackets, album covers and U.S. postage stamps. But he was best known for the seven decades he created black-and-white caricatures in the New York Times, depicting Broadway shows and performers. The Hirschfeld Century reproduces more than 360 pieces, including some of his atypical paintings and experimental mixed-medium works in full color.
Leopold calls him "a man who remained enthusiastic about the theater his entire life, who genuinely looked forward to each opening," which is why the book's reproduced artwork still looks vital, emotional and alive on the page. It's fascinating to discover that Hirschfeld trained himself to draw initial sketches in the dark theater without looking, which he called "a collaboration of sight and hand, with no conscious thought at the controls."
Aside from the vibrant illustrations (fully annotated with comments by the artist), this book is also a treasure trove of juicy theater lore. When Hirschfeld's daughter, Nina, was born in 1945, he started hiding her name in all his drawings. Beginning in 1960, he added a number after his signature to let fans know how many times "Nina" was hidden in each picture. This book is like looking over nearly a century's worth of artwork with the endearing artist kibitzing in the reader's ear. --Kevin Howell, independent reviewer and marketing consultant