M.S. Rau hosting free exhibition of original Saturday Evening Post illustration art in NOLA

NEW ORLEANS – M.S. Rau Antiques, a New Orleans landmark for more than a century, will pay

tribute to The Saturday Evening Post by hosting a free exhibition from Nov. 6, 2015-Jan. 5, 2016 at their gallery at 630 Royal Street in the French Quarter. The M.S. Rau exhibition, entitled America, Illustrated: Six Decades of Saturday Evening Post Covers will feature more than 40 original works shown alongside their printed Saturday Evening Post covers.

Works by iconic artists such as Norman Rockwell, J.C. Leyendecker, Maxfield Parrish and Stevan Dohanos spanning from the 1900s to the 1950s will be on display in this comprehensive exhibition, which is free and open to the public. Many of the works on display will also be available for purchase.

For over a century, The Saturday Evening Post captured the American story as it unfolded, and the paper’s iconic illustrated covers offered a snapshot of the lives of everyday people. These compelling scenes come together to forge a portrait of a country and its people, mirroring the ideals and values of an ever-evolving society.

Spanning six decades, this comprehensive exhibition follows the narrative of the country as told through Post covers, from times of peace and war, to economic hardship and societal change. From J.C. Leyendecker’s portraits of WWI soldiers, to Stevan Dohanos’ 1950s nuclear families, these paintings offer a glimpse into the American story.

Featured in the show will be original works by Norman Rockwell, J.C. Leyendecker, Maxfield Parrish, Stevan Dohanos, Edmund Davenport, Robert C. Kauffmann, Paul Stahr, Dick Sargent, John Philip Falter, John Ford Clymer, Amos Sewell and George Hughes.

Standing among the greatest American artists of his age, Rockwell was The Saturday Evening Post’s most famous and prolific illustrator. For over seven decades, Rockwell captured the attention of millions of Americans with his 323 cover illustrations. Each week, Americans brought his art into the intimate space of their homes, engraining his images into the cultural narrative of the country.

One of Rockwell’s great influences was J.C Leyendecker, who is also well represented in the exhibition. Leyendecker painted his first cover for the Post in 1899, beginning a 44-year association with the esteemed publication.

For more information on M.S. Rau Antiques and the Nov. 6-Jan. 5 exhibition, America, Illustrated: Six Decades of Saturday Evening Post Covers, visit www.rauantiques.com.