Limited Edition Al Hirschfeld Prints
Signed by Legendary Broadway Stars,
NOW UP FOR BIDS
Twenty limited-edition prints of acclaimed caricature artist Al Hirschfeld – signed by the iconic stage and screen stars featured in the image – are being auctioned online to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, in partnership with leading auction houses Christie’s and Charitybuzz. The auction launches today, Thursday, July 1, 2021, at broadwaycares.org/hirschfeld, and runs through Thursday, July 15.
The acclaimed actors immortalized who hand-signed the collectible prints this spring are Kevin Bacon, Betty Buckley, Cher, Richard Gere, Joel Grey, Mark Hamill, Nathan Lane, Jessica Lange, John Malkovich, Steve Martin, Reba McEntire, Donna McKechnie, Sir Ian McKellen, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Stephen Sondheim, Sir Patrick Stewart, Leslie Uggams and Sam Waterston.
Among the signed and numbered lots featured in the Charitybuzz Hirschfeld auction are:
● Patinkin and Peters as George and Dot from the original production of Sunday in the Park with George. The drawing first appeared in The New York Times on Sunday, April 29, 1984.
● Hamill, who had just gained international fame as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, played Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the Broadway production of Amadeus. Hirschfeld’s drawing was first published in The New York Times on July 1, 1983.
● Lane from the Off-Broadway production of Terrence McNally’s play The Lisbon Traviata. It was first published in The New York Times on November 10, 1989.
● Sondheim, one of the most esteemed, most successful and most studied composers and lyricists in musical theater history, with his keyboard and manuscripts. The image was privately commissioned in 1999.
Hirschfeld’s drawings stand as one of the most innovative efforts in establishing the visual language of modern art through caricature in the 20th century. A self described “characterist,” Hirschfeld’s signature work, defined by a linear calligraphic style, appeared in virtually every major publication over nine decades (including a 75-year relationship with The New York Times), as well as numerous book and record covers and 15 postage stamps. Hirschfeld, a two-time Tony Award recipient, died in 2003 at the age of 99. Later that year, Broadway’s Martin Beck Theatre was renamed the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
“All of us at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS count ourselves among the legion of Al Hirschfeld fans,” Broadway Cares Executive Director Tom Viola said. “This unique collaboration with the Al Hirschfeld Foundation in partnership with Christie’s and Charitybuzz will help ensure much-needed health care and medication, nutritious meals, counseling and emergency assistance for those across the country affected by HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and other life-threatening illnesses.”
“We are delighted to partner with Broadway Cares, Christies and Charitybuzz to bring these iconic prints to the public,” said David Leopold, the Creative Director of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation. “We have received requests for years to have some of these images be published as prints. Having the performers, who felt honored to be drawn by The Line King return the favor by signing these very limited editions is a tribute to how much Hirschfeld and Broadway Cares means to this community.”
Bonnie Brennan, President of Christie’s Americas noted: “This is an ideal and important time to show support for BroadwayCares/Equity Fights AIDS, as we collectively emerge from the pandemic and experience the arts in person again. Christie’s New York is proud to partner with Broadway Cares, the Al Hirschfeld Foundation and our partner Charitybuzz to bring this exciting sale of signed prints to market. We invite all of the dedicated collectors in our community to support this important fundraising opportunity.”
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS was born from the hearts of those in the theater community as our nation was facing the scourge of the AIDS pandemic. For more than 30 years, Broadway Cares has turned anger and sorrow into action. And now, in the wake of another pandemic, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS remains the philanthropic heart of Broadway. As the nation and the nation’s theaters emerge from a devastating 15 months with hundreds of thousands still in crisis, Broadway Cares’ commitment has never wavered from ensuring that those in need get groceries and medication, health care and hope.
Broadway Cares has turned to Charitybuzz for more than a decade to help unlock vital unrestricted funding – including throughout the pandemic. In partnership with Broadway Cares and hundreds of other non-profit organizations, Charitybuzz continues to offer customers the most incredible experiences, unmatched access, and exclusive items through its impact marketplace.
Charitybuzz and Christie’s are collaborating to bring collectors and fans globally this special opportunity to bid on these Hirschfeld prints and generate meaningful impact. This partnership was conceived and brokered by The Erlick Group, a leading, New York-based entertainment sponsorship agency since 1992.
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About the Al Hirschfeld Foundation
The mission of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation is to promote interest in the theater and visual arts by supporting non-profit museums, libraries, theaters and similar cultural institutions. The Foundation fulfills its mission through grants and exhibitions of Hirschfeld’s art. The Foundation maintains an extensive collection of Hirschfeld artworks and lends and/or donates pieces to institutions all over the world. Another primary mission is arts education, which the Foundation does primarily with the Hirschfeld Arts Curriculum. Created in conjunction with the New York City Board of Education, The Hirschfeld Arts Curriculum is an innovative visual/performing arts education program based on Hirschfeld’s art to engage students K through 12 in a variety of arts activities. Our programs encourage writing, reading, researching, observing, movement and performance to learn about the arts, its history, and the opportunities for education and employment in the arts field. The web based Al Hirschfeld curriculum is easy to use, and is intended to be a free resource for teachers and students. www.AlHirschfeldFoundation.org
About Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has raised more than $300 million for essential services for people with HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and other critical illnesses across the United States.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the major supporter of the social service programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative and The Friedman Health Center. Broadway Cares also awards annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., providing lifesaving medication, healthy meals, counseling and emergency assistance.
For more information, please visit Broadway Cares online at broadwaycares.org, at facebook.com/BCEFA, at instagram.com/BCEFA, at twitter.com/BCEFA and at youtube.com/BCEFA.
About Christie’s
Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai).
Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $200 to over $100 million. In recent years, Christie’s has achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvador Mundi, 2017), for a single collection sale (the Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, 2018), and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019).
Christie’sPrivate Sales offers a seamless service for buying and selling art, jewellery and watches outside of the auction calendar, working exclusively with Christie’s specialists at a client’s individual pace.
Recent innovations at Christie’s include the groundbreaking sale of the first NFT for a digital work of art ever offered at a major auction house (Beeple’s Everydays, March 2021), with the unprecedented acceptance of cryptocurrency as a means of payment. As an industry leader in digital innovation, Christie’s also continues to pioneer new technologies that are redefining the business of art, including the creation of viewing and bidding experiences that integrate augmented reality, global livestreaming, buy-now channels, and hybrid sales formats.
Christie’s is dedicated to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide, including achieving sustainability through net zero carbon emissions by 2030, and actively using its platform in the art world to amplify under-represented voices and support positive change.
Browse, bid,discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at: www.christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps.
About Charitybuzz
Charitybuzz is the world’s leading impact marketplace for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, exclusive items and unmatched access. Through its premier auction platform, upscale shopping experience and concierge business, Charitybuzz has raised $500 million for cause to date.
In addition to incredible luxury travel, VIP event experiences, and rare memorabilia and collectibles, Charitybuzz features exclusive access to the world’s most influential personalities – Sir Paul McCartney, Stephen and Ayesha Curry, Tim Cook, Beyoncé, Eddie Vedder, Jack Nicklaus, Anna Wintour, Warren Buffett, Robert De Niro, and many more.
Each purchase generates charitable impact in partnership with more than 4,500 non-profit organizations, including MusiCares, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Charitybuzz operates alongside sister company Prizeo, which hosts online sweepstakes to raise funds for cause. To learn more, please visit www.charitybuzz.com.
