Thaindian News

November 9, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): The name of Playboy magazine conjures up a number of names, the likes of Marilyn Monroe or Pamela Anderson. But what about Salvador Dali? How is the name of such an illustrious painter been taken along with the magazine whose centerfold is the key to its fame?

A watercolor depicting a reclining nude by Salvador Dali had hung in the room of Hugh Hefner is one among the 125 works of art that are being auctioned by the magazine. The auction is scheduled to take place on December 8 at Christie’s and has been titled as the ‘Year of the rabbit’. This is actually the second time that Christie will be involved in a sale for the Playboy.

The 84 year old Hefner, editor in chief and the founder of the magazine said that Playboy has managed to blur the lines between fine art and commercial art . He went on to elaborate saying that it had been realistic art a la Norman Rockwell before the Playboy decided to introduce the abstract as well as the semi abstract notions into the commercial aspect of art. The sort that was found hanging from the gallery walls was also made use of by the Playboy.

The sale will also contain 80 photographs, 24 cartoons and more than a dozen works of contemporary art. The Playboy archive consists of around 5,000 contemporary works of art along with 20 million photographs all stored at a building in Chicago.

Almost all the items that will be put for sale have appeared in publication. Dali’s ‘Playmate’, the reclining nude is one of the masterpieces that is expected to bring in about 100,000 to $150,000. The sale will include several images of Monroe too. Elkies commented that this auction will definitely be more about art.