Landmark West! and author James Philip Head invite you
to the New York City launch of
“An Affair with Beauty-The Mystique of Howard Chandler Christy"
The Leopard at des Artistes ~ 1 W. 67th Street
Friday, May 10th Noon-3:00pm
Please join this special afternoon reception and reading with author James Head, hosted at The Leopard at des Artistes, the elegant restaurant at the landmarked Hôtel des Artistes filled with lush murals of cavorting nymphs by Howard Chandler Christy, who both lived and painted in the famed studio building.
An Affair with Beauty - The Mystique of Howard Chandler Christy: Romantic Illusions is the dynamic second installment of a three-part biographical series celebrating the illustrious career and epic life of legendary illustrator and portraitist Howard Chandler Christy. Author James Philip Head once again immortalizes one of America’s most famous and enchanting artists through the eyes of Nancy Palmer Christy, his wife and former model.
Romantic Illusions examines Howard Christy’s early years in near-poverty in New York City as he was making a name for himself as an illustrator in the 1890s, up to the time when he chooses his new profession as a portraitist in 1921. In 1913, Christy described his daring experiences with Teddy Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War in Cuba and his brush with near-certain death. The effects of the war profoundly transformed Christy, inspiring him to create his own vision of beauty, the “Christy Girl,” which catapulted him to fame and fortune. Later, Christy’s iconic World War I posters compelled Americans to join the war effort or purchase liberty bonds.
About the Author
As a freshman at the University of Maryland, Jim Head discovered a gilt-edged folio of Charles Dana Gibson’s The Social Ladder in the stacks of the campus library one night, starting him on a journey to learn more about Gibson and the “Illustrators of Beauty.” In turn, he became captivated with the talent, fame and eventual obscurity of Howard Chandler Christy, and began amassing the largest private collection of information related to the artist and his wife, Nancy. Over the years, to reveal the true untold story, he has engaged research assistants, uncovered thousands of letters and newspaper articles, and traveled throughout the US to interview dozens of people, including family members, former models, and others who knew the artist and his family. Head is an attorney in Tysons Corner, Virginia and lives in Chantilly, Virginia with his wife, Rita, and daughter, Christianna.
Everett Raymond Kinsler, the foremost living portrait painter in America, will provide remarks on Christy and his influences.
Pamela Almand, 2016 Voice Arts Award Winner and narrator for the audiobook, will give a reading from Romantic Illusions.
What People are Saying:
“An exquisite celebration honoring the life of Howard Chandler Christy, one of the most famous American artists and illustrators in the Jazz Era, this book is a piece of art in itself...Howard Chandler Christy was a figure larger than life. By documenting this life in such a beautiful manner, the author does justice not only to Christy’s legacy but to the art world and American history as well... Romantic Illusions is a remarkable story and the author, James Philip Head, does an amazing job. Well-written, engaging, no – mesmerizing, the passion he has for his subject is undeniable.” —Reader Views
Dress is business casual ~ Refreshments will be served.
