Full Details for Lot 858

George Rodrigue
(American/Louisiana, 1944-2013)

"God Bless America", 2001

acrylic on canvas
signed lower right, signed, dated, localized and titled en verso.
Framed.
36" x 36", framed 38-1/4" x 38-1/4"

Notes: "On the night of September 11, 2001, like Americans everywhere, I sat in shock over the events of the day. As I’ve done many times in my life, I turned to my easel and painted for comfort… the next morning I stared with my wife at the painting I’d just finished. As we looked from each other to the canvas, we knew that I’d made a powerful and accurate statement of our feelings… I realized as we spoke that in donating the sales from a print of this painting to the relief effort, others might be comforted as they dealt with their own grief and desire to help. Created in the depths of my personal sadness, the painting reflects the feelings of many, many people… I first thought to paint the dog black, as if in mourning. Instead I painted it without color at all, the blue joy drained by shock and grief… For many years the dog has had yellow, happy eyes. On this day, however, the eyes are red, indicating a heavy heart.”

—George Rodrigue
September 12, 2001

The work offered here is the original painting created by George Rodrigue over the course of that emotionally turbulent evening, and was the prototype for the popular print edition, which ultimately raised $500,000 for the American Red Cross.

Estimate $75,000-125,000

**In generally very good condition. Frame with minor nicks and abrasions.