Alberto Vargas (Peruvian/American, 1896-1982) Beauty and the Beast, 1925 Watercolor on board 27-1/4 x 18-3/4 inches (69.3 x 47.6 cm) Signed and dated lower right Inscribed on the reverse According the the artist's inscriptions on the back of the work, Beauty and the Beast was created for a composite of Ziegfeld Follies Girls in the 1920s. Capturing the art deco period with jewelry, flapper bob, and theater mask, Vargas' skills are on full display. However, it is up to the viewer to decide if the beauty is taking off the mask or putting it on... This illustration was reproduced on page 66 in Vargas by Alberto Vargas and Reid Austin, 1978 and illustrated on page 38 in Vargas (Taschen, 1990). The work also appeared in the background of a scene from the 1985 John Huston film, Prizzi's Honor, starring Jack Nicholson, Kathleen Turner, and Anjelica Huston. We would like to thank © Theron Kabrich, San Francisco Art Exchange for his invaluable assistance in cataloging this lot. HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved