Flagg Portrait of Dempsey-Willard.

[Willie Pep 229]

I did not know that this was a James Montgomery Flagg painting until just now.

Knew the painting for decades, knew it was on the wall of Dempsey's Bar and Steak House, never bothered to look at the artist's name.

Dempsey commissioned Flagg to paint it in 1944.

Also, in past I always saw a truncated version of the painting. Didn't realize it's actual size. More a mural than a painting.

In fact didn't know it included a referee.

Susposedly Flagg included portraits of (among others) satirist Damon Runyon and cartoonist Rube Goldberg in the painting. Guess they were at the fight.

Anyone know if Runyon wrote about the fight?


Class_fight (1).jpg

[Ivich]

I did not know that this was a James Montgomery Flagg painting until just now.

Knew the painting for decades, knew it was on the wall of Dempsey's Bar and Steak House, never bothered to look at the artist's name.

Dempsey commissioned Flagg to paint it in 1944.

Also, in past I always saw a truncated version of the painting. Didn't realize it's actual size. More a mural than a painting.

In fact didn't know it included a referee.

Susposedly Flagg included portraits of (among others) satirist Damon Runyon and cartoonist Rube Goldberg in the painting. Guess they were at the fight.

Anyone know if Runyon wrote about the fight?


Class_fight (1).jpg

My late Father in law had a colorized post card of this which he bought In Jack Dempsey's restaurant
,and yes Dempsey was sitting there in the front.It's from a huge Flagg mural on the wall.
In later years Dempsey and Sharkey posed in fighting stances in front of it.

[Willow The Wisp]

Dempsey commissioned the work by Flagg in 44' for his restaurant on Broadway between 49th and 50th, next to the Brill building where all of the American music record labels where headquartered, from the big band era to rock n' roll, and where many famous songs were written and recorded.
Directly after the closing of his world famous restaurant in 1974, Mr. Dempsey and his wife gifted the mural to the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, where it resides today, on display in the south gallery.

[Willie Pep 229]

Dempsey commissioned the work by Flagg in 44' for his restaurant on Broadway between 49th and 50th, next to the Brill building where all of the American music record labels where headquartered, from the big band era to rock n' roll, and where many famous songs were written and recorded.
Directly after the closing of his world fam
ous restaurant in 1974, Mr. Dempsey and his wife gifted the mural to the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, where it resides today, on display in the south gallery.

Yea in the HBO series 'Vinyl' the Characters enter and leave their offices walking by the Dempsey sign (which I assume was CGI in. But I remember it as a kid.

[Marchegiano]

Hot diggity! Pep, Ivich, and Willow come in with the eye of el tigre.

5 point Ivich for the personal annecdote.

15 points to Willow for the context.

15 points for Pep for the original content.


Game of Owns Ratings:

1. Ivich - 25
2. Willow/Pep - 15
3. Nelson/Queen B - 5
4. The rest of them.

[kara]

Hot diggity! Pep, Ivich, and Willow come in with the eye of el tigre.

5 point Ivich for the personal annecdote.

15 points to Willow for the context.

15 points for Pep for the original content.


Game of Owns Ratings:

1. Ivich - 25
2. Willow/Pep - 15
3. Nelson/Queen B - 5
4. The rest of them.

I'm following these ratings now.

[Slugfester]

I did not know that this was a James Montgomery Flagg painting until just now.

Knew the painting for decades, knew it was on the wall of Dempsey's Bar and Steak House, never bothered to look at the artist's name.

Dempsey commissioned Flagg to paint it in 1944.

Also, in past I always saw a truncated version of the painting. Didn't realize it's actual size. More a mural than a painting.

In fact didn't know it included a referee.

Susposedly Flagg included portraits of (among others) satirist Damon Runyon and cartoonist Rube Goldberg in the painting. Guess they were at the fight.

Anyone know if Runyon wrote about the fight?


Class_fight (1).jpg

Well, maybe. I haven't read this.

[kara]

I had a similar "aha" moment with some artwork recently. It's funny how we can overlook things for years, right?
As for the Flagg Portrait of Dempsey-Willard, it sounds like quite a masterpiece. The fact that it's more like a mural is intriguing.

I wish I could buy a version of this for the wall.

[QueensburyRules]

- - Luv to have a full sized print of it for my library. Commissioned in 1944, so is that Joltin' Joe in the Dempsey corner?

Oversized Surreal for sure...only in boxing, folks...