Paul Degen: Discovering the Sciences

An original gouache painting by Swiss artist Paul Degen was sold on eBay two months ago for $500. It almost certainly was intended for publication, perhaps as a poster or a magazine illustration. It is a celebration of youthful discovery, depicting divers topics in the sciences including astronomy, biology, geology, natural history, physics, aviation, sailing, and space exploration. Such an illustration could have been commissioned by a museum such as, for example, the American Museum of Natural History or the Smithsonian, among the many, many possibilities.

Paul Degen
eBay listing ended June 6, 2022

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134088485008?hash=item1f384be890%3Ag%3Av%7EoAAOSwyd9iW3Cx&nma=true&si=WEtIFz5%252FkfY9UxP8WWeB%252FCaqeVQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Paul Degen
eBay item description

Note:  Has anyone come across this painting in published form? Do tell.

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Paul Degen: Original Illustration Art

Between the Covers Rare Books offers a collection of 129 pieces by or related to the artist Paul Degen. There is a substantial variety of work, including some sketches and some finished illustrations. There is an interesting group of proposed covers for The New Yorker magazine. The five photographs in the listing don't allow a thorough examination of all this work. It would be great to get a better look.

Proposed New Yorker cover art

Paul Degen
AbeBooks listing accessed March 19, 2022

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22619342904&searchurl=kn%3DYorker%26sortby%3D1&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-image19

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Paul Degen: Don't Cry Over Spilled Ink

Six years ago a signed, limited edition of Swiss New Yorker artist Paul Degen's Don't Cry Over Spilled Ink (1985) was sold on eBay for an undisclosed Best Offer somewhere south of $125. With art books, an eBay listing is only as good as its photos and this one, alas, is somewhat lacking. Were there no decent digital cameras back in 2016? Let's not cry over it.

Paul Degen
eBay listing ended August 1, 2016

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-NEW-YORKER-SWISS-ARTIST-PAUL-DEGEN-SIGNED-LTD-EDITION-HUMOR-MUSIC-GOLF-/351470796119?hash=item51d54abd57%3Ag%3ADh4AAOSwHnFVvmuf&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Paul Degen
eBay item description

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Paul Degen Hits the Links

The 2017 Masters Tournament is currently underway at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. This is the first of the sport's four major championships this year. As if on cue, a drawing by illustrator Paul Degen is set on the links with greater than the full complement of eighteen flags visible. A self-absorbed, pipe-smoking golfer and his elderly, pinniped caddy proceed with great purpose along the course. The golfer is the snazzier dresser. This whiff of social satire dates from 1985.

eBay Listing as of January 16, 2017

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LISTED-PAUL-DEGEN-ORIGINAL-ART-WORK-GOLF-INK-DRAWING-GOLFER-SIGNED-/141740893483?hash=item21006a652b:g:yNMAAOSwLVZVu42x

eBay Item Description

Note:  As of this posting the work is still available on eBay.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Paul Degen

Golf

Attempted Bloggery's Sub-Par Index

Fore!

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Paul Degen Drawings

A number of drawings by Swiss illustrator Paul Degen were recently offered on eBay. They come out of the Westport estate of a New York publisher. One of the drawings bears a dedication "For Kurt all the best" and is dated 1976. Below are photographs of the drawings from individual eBay listings, followed by the listings in full.

And then I chose the water

And then I chose the water

And then I chose the water

 

Note:  You can see more posts on this blog about Paul Degen.

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