ANDY VIRGIL (1925-1980) Maynard Ferguson
Lot 548
2 5003 500
Signed (along the lower edge)
Pencil and gouache on board
Framed
61 x 55,8 cm
Executed in 1960
Provenance:
Private collection, Italy
Mayland Ferguson, who is portrayed in this picture, was
one of the biggest jazzmen from Canada. Ferguson won
the Down Beat Readers’ Poll for the best trumpeter, and
in 1992, he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of
Fame. He also formed Big Bop Nouveau.
This illustration was painted by Andrew Virgil Calafatello,
who was born in New York in the family of Sicilian
immigrant parents. He did commercial drawings, w hich
allowed him to survive, and painted his favorite jazz artist.
He graduated from Pratt, then went on to Cooper Union.
Andy continued to pursue his studies under Reginald
Marsh at the Art Students’ League. After that, he worked
in the Cooper Studios and Ralph Studios. Virgil suffered
from tuberculosis, which he managed to cure.