:Norman Rockwell's original 1943 movie publicity painting for the
Academy Award-winning The Song of Bernadette was purchased
for $478,000 in a public sale conducted by Heritage Galleries
& Auctioneers on November 18.
The presale estimate was $200/300,000. The winning bidder was
identified by the auctioneer only as a private West Coast
collector.
The pious painting depicts actress Jennifer Jones as Bernadette
Soubirous, the Maid of Lourdes, a woman of unshakable faith and
courage in the film version of the famous Franz Werfel novel.
"The original art was commissioned by movie producer David O.
Selznick as the centerpiece of an unprecedented publicity
campaign for The Song of Bernadette film. It was the most
reproduced work of Rockwell's entire career," said Ed Jaster,
vice president of Heritage.
The original painting measures 58 by 28 inches. It was in the
private collection of film producer William Perlberg for many
years, then owned by Mount Saint Mary's Academy in Los Angeles.
It was consigned to the Heritage auction by a private collector
who acquired it earlier this year.
The price includes the 191/2 percent buyer's premium. For
information, 800-872-6467 or www.HeritageGalleries.com.
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