“RETREAT FROM MOSCOW” 1941 SIGNED ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR PAINTING BY THE AMERICAN PAINTER, ILLUSTRATOR AND WATERCOLORIST HARDIE GRAMATKY (1907-1979)

This is the original watercolor which was published in the December 27, 1941 issue of Collier’s Weekly for the article titled “Retreat from Moscow” by the Collier’s correspondent Quentin Reynolds, to illustrate what the correspondent found in Russia’s new capital. Illustrated on page 22 of the magazine, the watercolor is a view of Kuibyshev’s streets which were like rivers of mud in which sleds, ox-drawn carts and automobiles are mired down.

The watercolor is by the California artist Hardie Gramatky. In a 2006 article in Watercolor Magazine, Andrew Wyeth named Gramatky as one of America's 20 greatest watercolorists. This watercolor is an excellent example of Gramatky’s work.

The medium is gouache (opaque watercolor) on illustration board, the image (sight size) measures 6 5/8 x 13 7/8 inches. The illustration board size measures 10 1/2 x 20 inches. The watercolor comes as originally double matted by the gallery, with the illustration board fully adhered to the matboard. The mat size measures 14 1/2 x 22 inches.

The watercolor is inscribed in pencil on the verso of the illustration board: “Retreat from Moscow by Quentin Reynolds by Hardie Gramatky”. The verso shows the Collier’s magazine folio stamp lower left, with information in pencil, the date: Dec 27/41; the title: Retreat from Moscow; The author: Q Reynolds; and the artist: H Gramatky. Also attached on the verso center is a label from the New York gallery: BARRY STEPHENS Advertising Art.