John La Gatta Sold at Auction Prices

Illustrator, Painter

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      • John La Gotta drawing fashion vintage
        Dec. 28, 2022

        John La Gotta drawing fashion vintage

        Est: $40 - $80

        John La Gatta (1894 -1977) Advertising illustrator lady in fancy fashion dress from vintage magazine - 2 sided with interesting designs on other side as well.

        Captain Ahab's Antiques
      • John LaGatta (NY,CA,1894-1976) oil painting
        Jul. 03, 2022

        John LaGatta (NY,CA,1894-1976) oil painting

        Est: $2,500 - $3,200

        ARTIST: John La Gatta (New York, California, 1894 - 1976) NAME: Woman in Bathing Suit and Pink Hat MEDIUM: oil on canvas. Canvas applied to board. CONDITION: Very good. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 34 x 26 inches / 86 x 66 cm FRAME SIZE: unframed (In-House framing available) SIGNATURE: lower left CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 119425 US Shipping $90 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: John LaGatta enjoyed painting women more than anything else. It worked well for him as an illustrator and as a result, he and his wife were able to live a very comfortable lifestyle. His career was substantially taken with illustrating women for romantic stories, as well as creating exotic fashion illustrations, and eye-catching advertising pictures of his beautifully idealized women.LaGatta's images appeared in the nation's famous most publications; Life, The Ladies' Home Journal, Cosmopolitan, Delineator, Women's Home Companion, and Associated Sunday Magazine. His advertising accounts were with a number of the nation's important corporations, including Ajax Rubber Company, Andrew Jergens Co., Fleishmann's Yeast, International Silver Company, Lucky Strike cigarettes, Laros Lingerie, Ivory Soap, and Resinol Soap, all of which were able to continually fuel his needs for luxurious travel, eating at popular restaurants and other signs of success.In reality, John LaGatta arrived here as a poor Italian immigrant, with a lineage described by him as illustrious. The family lived quite modestly in Long Island; his father was unsuccessful in business and suffered, as many did, from discrimination against foreign accents at a time when assimilation was the assumed solution for all newcomers. It was a tough existence.Because of LaGatta's art talents, he enrolled to study under Frank Parsons at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts. After completing school, he gained his first commission for Life magazine and did advertising work for N. W. Ayer, one of the early and largest advertising agencies. His images were unique and seductive, even risque, but art directors were willing to take chances to sell magazines and products by using them.Soon, he was commissioned by the Post for a cover and then hired by US Rubber Company, his first two big breaks as an illustrator. Unlike Rockwell, Pyle, and Parrish, LaGatta did not use photography to try to capture his models on canvas. He rather enjoyed the banter during his sessions with the models and felt that he could better relate their beauty to the readership if he knew them personally. He felt he could not just copy their God-given beauty from a photograph. Sometimes, confused by the array of beautiful models to choose from, he could not choose between a blonde, a brunette and a redhead. So, he would often do covers with all three girls in one image, letting the reader decide which was their favorite.One critic characterized the glamorous women created by LaGatta as "LaGatta's Chromium-Plated" women. Few illustrators felt that they could compete with him when it came to bathing beauties. Although at the beginning of his career, during the 'Roaring Twenties', women in America were favored if they had small bosoms with flat-chested outfits and narrow hips with long thin legs. Such women predominated and were known generically as "flapper girls." John LaGatta rather liked another kind of beauty, and his girls were very different indeed. They were curvaceous, more full-bodied with thick thighs, weighty bosoms, and heavy hips, more European with a lusty look.LaGatta described the fundamental appeal of women: "Women are aware of the psychological effect they possess over men, and regardless of the degree of modesty they pursue, they play it up to suit the occasion-often with charming and ingenious bits of innocence and varying, subtle ways of flirtation. Often women demurely reveal fragments of their anatomy. It is their strength and surely one of man's incorrigible weaknesses. In most cases I believe it is simply deviltry for the sake of identity."At the beginning of World War II, LaGatta moved to California and started a new career teaching at the Art Center School in Los Angeles, and easel painting for his own pleasure. He died in 1977 in Santa Monica, California.

        Broward Auction Gallery LLC
      • John LaGatta (NY,CA,1894-1976) oil painting
        Apr. 17, 2022

        John LaGatta (NY,CA,1894-1976) oil painting

        Est: $2,700 - $3,400

        ARTIST: John La Gatta (New York, California, 1894 - 1976) NAME: Woman in Bathing Suit and Pink Hat MEDIUM: oil on canvas. Canvas applied to board. CONDITION: Very good. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 34 x 26 inches / 86 x 66 cm FRAME SIZE: unframed SIGNATURE: lower left CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 119425 US Shipping $90 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: John LaGatta enjoyed painting women more than anything else. It worked well for him as an illustrator and as a result, he and his wife were able to live a very comfortable lifestyle. His career was substantially taken with illustrating women for romantic stories, as well as creating exotic fashion illustrations, and eye-catching advertising pictures of his beautifully idealized women.LaGatta's images appeared in the nation's famous most publications; Life, The Ladies' Home Journal, Cosmopolitan, Delineator, Women's Home Companion, and Associated Sunday Magazine. His advertising accounts were with a number of the nation's important corporations, including Ajax Rubber Company, Andrew Jergens Co., Fleishmann's Yeast, International Silver Company, Lucky Strike cigarettes, Laros Lingerie, Ivory Soap, and Resinol Soap, all of which were able to continually fuel his needs for luxurious travel, eating at popular restaurants and other signs of success.In reality, John LaGatta arrived here as a poor Italian immigrant, with a lineage described by him as illustrious. The family lived quite modestly in Long Island; his father was unsuccessful in business and suffered, as many did, from discrimination against foreign accents at a time when assimilation was the assumed solution for all newcomers. It was a tough existence.Because of LaGatta's art talents, he enrolled to study under Frank Parsons at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts. After completing school, he gained his first commission for Life magazine and did advertising work for N. W. Ayer, one of the early and largest advertising agencies. His images were unique and seductive, even risque, but art directors were willing to take chances to sell magazines and products by using them.Soon, he was commissioned by the Post for a cover and then hired by US Rubber Company, his first two big breaks as an illustrator. Unlike Rockwell, Pyle, and Parrish, LaGatta did not use photography to try to capture his models on canvas. He rather enjoyed the banter during his sessions with the models and felt that he could better relate their beauty to the readership if he knew them personally. He felt he could not just copy their God-given beauty from a photograph. Sometimes, confused by the array of beautiful models to choose from, he could not choose between a blonde, a brunette and a redhead. So, he would often do covers with all three girls in one image, letting the reader decide which was their favorite.One critic characterized the glamorous women created by LaGatta as "LaGatta's Chromium-Plated" women. Few illustrators felt that they could compete with him when it came to bathing beauties. Although at the beginning of his career, during the 'Roaring Twenties', women in America were favored if they had small bosoms with flat-chested outfits and narrow hips with long thin legs. Such women predominated and were known generically as "flapper girls." John LaGatta rather liked another kind of beauty, and his girls were very different indeed. They were curvaceous, more full-bodied with thick thighs, weighty bosoms, and heavy hips, more European with a lusty look.LaGatta described the fundamental appeal of women: "Women are aware of the psychological effect they possess over men, and regardless of the degree of modesty they pursue, they play it up to suit the occasion-often with charming and ingenious bits of innocence and varying, subtle ways of flirtation. Often women demurely reveal fragments of their anatomy. It is their strength and surely one of man's incorrigible weaknesses. In most cases I believe it is simply deviltry for the sake of identity."At the beginning of World War II, LaGatta moved to California and started a new career teaching at the Art Center School in Los Angeles, and easel painting for his own pleasure. He died in 1977 in Santa Monica, California.

        Broward Auction Gallery LLC
      • JOHN LA GATTA WOMAN'S HOME COMPANION FASHION DRAWING
        Nov. 21, 2021

        JOHN LA GATTA WOMAN'S HOME COMPANION FASHION DRAWING

        Est: $200 - $400

        This is an original illustration fashion drawing by John La Gatta (Italian-American, 1894-1977). The label on the reverse indicates the drawing was an advertisement illustration for Bamberger's department store in Newark, New Jersey. It was to appear in "Woman's Home Companion" magazine. At the age of 15, La Gatta enrolled in the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts (now Parsons School of Design) where he excelled at charcoal draftsman and the portrayal of form and motion. He studied under artists Kenneth Hayes Miller and Frank Alvah Parsons. He became an extremely sought after illustrator and produced prolific amounts of work for publications such as the aforementioned magazine, "Saturday Evening Post", "Redbook", "Harper's Bazaar", and many more. Frame: 29 1/4 x 23 3/4". Sight: 23 1/2 x 19".

        Mark Lawson Antiques, Inc.
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977.
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977.

        Est: $1,000 - $2,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Collection of 14 sketches, pencil, pen or conte crayon on tracing paper, 300 x 227 mm., c.1960, some toning, minor creases, a few stray marks, but generally very good. An interesting look into the working process of a commercial artist as a number of the pieces are most certainly for advertisements. As with most La Gatta work, the focus is almost universally on women.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Group of 11 portraits, gouache on paper, on 10
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Group of 11 portraits, gouache on paper, on 10

        Est: $1,000 - $2,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Group of 11 portraits, gouache on paper, on 10 sheets, 362 x 272 mm through 246 x 185, c.1960, some toning and stray marks, generally good to very good. An assortment of gouache studies. All but one are female portraits, the remaining one appears to be a self portrait.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Group of 2 gouache on paper portraits, 684 x 5
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Group of 2 gouache on paper portraits, 684 x 5

        Est: $1,000 - $2,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Group of 2 gouache on paper portraits, 684 x 557 mm & 778 x 572 mm, c.1950, one depicting a back view of a woman dressing, the other depicting a woman in a diaphanous slip, some toning and a few stray marks, very good overall.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Oil on canvas, 638 x 910 mm, c.1940, depicting
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Oil on canvas, 638 x 910 mm, c.1940, depicting

        Est: $1,500 - $2,500

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Oil on canvas, 638 x 910 mm, c.1940, depicting woman in blue twopiece bathing suit laying on beach with man in bathing suit over her, craquelure, some toning.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on board, 1013 x 760 mm, c.1950, depic
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on board, 1013 x 760 mm, c.1950, depic

        Est: $2,000 - $3,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on board, 1013 x 760 mm, c.1950, depicting woman in red dress perched on diving board, three white doves around her, Corners rubbed and bumped.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Oil on canvas, 765 x 637 mm, c.1940, Marine in
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Oil on canvas, 765 x 637 mm, c.1940, Marine in

        Est: $2,000 - $3,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Oil on canvas, 765 x 637 mm, c.1940, Marine in dress blues leaning over and kissing woman in red dress, unstretched, some stray marks. Very similar to the Woodbury Facial Soap advertisements La Gatta illustrated in the mid-1940s.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Mixed media on board, 722 x 980 mm, signed (Jo
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Mixed media on board, 722 x 980 mm, signed (Jo

        Est: $3,000 - $5,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Mixed media on board, 722 x 980 mm, signed (John La Gatta), 1938, depicting a woman in red dress dancing among a number of tuxedoed men, toned, board edges taped. A label on the verso states that this appeared in the Redbook Magazine story The Four Happiest Years in the July 1938 issue.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on board, 485 x 670 mm, c. 1950, depic
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on board, 485 x 670 mm, c. 1950, depic

        Est: $1,500 - $2,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on board, 485 x 670 mm, c. 1950, depicting a woman in pink dress leaning over and kissing seated man, corners rubbed, else fairly clean.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on board, 1020 x 765 mm, signed (John
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on board, 1020 x 765 mm, signed (John

        Est: $1,500 - $2,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on board, 1020 x 765 mm, signed (John La Gatta), 1938, depicting a woman in a green dress with a man on his knees clutching her, mat residue in margins, corners rubbed. A label on the verso states that this appeared in the Redbook Magazine story The Four Happiest Years in the July 1938 issue.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Oil on canvas, 610 x 814 mm, signed (La Gatta)
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Oil on canvas, 610 x 814 mm, signed (La Gatta)

        Est: $2,000 - $3,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Oil on canvas, 610 x 814 mm, signed (La Gatta), c.1940, depicting a woman among books with a man in fedora behind her, some toning. Appears to be an illustration. The monochromatic pallet and the hard-boiled look of the subjects suggests a detective story.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on paper, 690 x 992 mm, c.1960, depict
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on paper, 690 x 992 mm, c.1960, depict

        Est: $2,000 - $3,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Gouache on paper, 690 x 992 mm, c.1960, depicting two bathing suited women at the beach, mat residue in margins.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Pastel on board, 1020 x 760 mm, c.1960, depict
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Pastel on board, 1020 x 760 mm, c.1960, depict

        Est: $2,000 - $3,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Pastel on board, 1020 x 760 mm, c.1960, depicting a woman in a red bathing suit with yellow hat and yellow bow around her waist, one corner bumped.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Mixed media on board, 1022 x 760 mm, c.1960, d
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Mixed media on board, 1022 x 760 mm, c.1960, d

        Est: $3,000 - $5,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Mixed media on board, 1022 x 760 mm, c.1960, depicting a woman in a red bathing suit with a pink bow around her waist, edges rubbed.

        Bonhams
      • LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Mixed media on board, 1032 x 760 mm, c.1960, d
        Jun. 07, 2017

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Mixed media on board, 1032 x 760 mm, c.1960, d

        Est: $3,000 - $5,000

        LA GATTA, JOHN. 1894-1977. Mixed media on board, 1032 x 760 mm, c.1960, depicting a woman in blue lingerie with her arms in a dress overhead, edges rubbed, else very good.

        Bonhams
      • JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Untitled, circa lat
        Feb. 11, 2011

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Untitled, circa lat

        Est: $3,000 - $5,000

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Untitled, circa late 1940s Oil on canvas 36 x 30 in. Signed lower right This painting was reproduced on page 151 of John La Gatta-An Artist's Life by Jill Bossert, Madison Square Press, 2000. From the Estate of Charles Martignette.

        Heritage Auctions
      • JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Golf Outing Conte c
        Feb. 11, 2011

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Golf Outing Conte c

        Est: $2,000 - $4,000

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Golf Outing Conte crayon, ink, and watercolor on board 20.5 x 33.5 in. Signed lower left From the Estate of Charles Martignette.

        Heritage Auctions
      • JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Reclining Nude Oil on canvas 27 x 24 in. Not signed From the Estate of Charles Martignette.
        Oct. 15, 2010

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Reclining Nude Oil on canvas 27 x 24 in. Not signed From the Estate of Charles Martignette.

        Est: $3,000 - $5,000

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Reclining Nude Oil on canvas 27 x 24 in. Not signed From the Estate of Charles Martignette.

        Heritage Auctions
      • JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Woman Dressing Oil on canvas 30 x 26 in. Signed upper right From the Estate of Charles Martignette.
        Oct. 15, 2010

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Woman Dressing Oil on canvas 30 x 26 in. Signed upper right From the Estate of Charles Martignette.

        Est: $4,000 - $6,000

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Woman Dressing Oil on canvas 30 x 26 in. Signed upper right From the Estate of Charles Martignette.

        Heritage Auctions
      • JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Seated Woman Oil on
        Aug. 17, 2010

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Seated Woman Oil on

        Est: $3,000 - $5,000

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Seated Woman Oil on canvas 30 x 26 in. Signed upper left From the Estate of Charles Martignette.

        Heritage Auctions
      • La Gatta, John - Woman in a Slip
        May. 06, 2010

        La Gatta, John - Woman in a Slip

        Est: $4,000 - $6,000

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Woman in a Slip Oil on canvas 22 x 26 in. Signed upper left From the Estate of Charles Martignette.

        Heritage Auctions
      • La Gatta, John - Woman Among Flowers
        May. 06, 2010

        La Gatta, John - Woman Among Flowers

        Est: $4,000 - $6,000

        JOHN LA GATTA (American, 1894-1976) Woman Among Flowers Oil on canvas 24 x 21 in. Signed upper left From the Estate of Charles Martignette.

        Heritage Auctions
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