Artist George Rodrigue was born in 1944 in Louisiana, and created his signature style of artwork after studying at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. George Rodrigue's paintings are defined by a sharp-edge, repetitive style, and Rodrigue's major success came with his Blue Dog series, which was inspired by the legend of the loup-garou (werewolf) and his own dog Tiffany.
By 1990, Artist George Rodrigue was devoted to painting solely Blue Dog pictures. He remained fascinated by the effect they had, saying that they were memorable works that were about life and searching for answers. The dog is always in the same position, staring at the viewer with big yellow eyes.
George Rodrigue prints for sale, and some originals from his Blue Dog series, are readily available online and at auction. Look for the colorful influence in your life by viewing exquisite portrait paintings for sale by other renowned painters.
George Rodrigue (Louisiana, 1944-2013), My Shade Tree, Blue Dog Series, Acrylic On Linen. Purchased in 1991 from Galerie Blue Dog Ltd. in Carmel, California. Original gallery purchase receipt included with lot. George Rodrigue began painting Louisiana landscapes in the late 1960's. He used his art as a means to preserve the landscape and traditions of his beloved Acadiana. Rodrigue gained international fame with his Blue Dog series, inspired by local legends of the Loup-Garou, a Cajun werewolf. This exciting pop art composition features two of George Rodrigue's most iconic images: Blue Dog and his signature oak tree, both symbols of Cajun culture and identity in his work. Provenance: Private California collection, purchased Galerie Blue Dog, Carmel-By-The-Sea, California. As framed approximately 18.75 x 15.75 x 1.5D in. Sight approximately 13.625W x 10.625H in. ALL CREDIT CARDS WILL BE MANUALLY VERIFIED PRIOR TO SHIPMENT.
GEORGE RODRIGUE AMERICAN, 1944-2013 TAKE ME BACK TO TEXAS, 2015 Silkscreen Lower left signed: RODRIGUE; lower right numbered: 112/450; verso label: Certificate of Authenticity
George Rodrigue Angel Baby 2000 screenprint in colors image: 20.25 h x 15.5 w in (51 x 39 cm) sheet: 22.125 h x 17.5 w in (51 x 39 cm) Signed and numbered to lower edge 'Rodrigue 15/150'. This work is number 15 from the edition of 150. Literature: Rodrigue 178 This work will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.
George Rodrigue (American, 1944–2013) original oil painting on canvas titled Zydeco Stepping (1988). The work depicts a lively Creole music scene with a violinist and a dancer moving to the rhythm under a Louisiana oak tree. Signed in the lower left corner, with a hand-inscribed title, artist’s name, and date ('88) on the verso, along with multiple Rodrigue Gallery stamps and remnants of a George Rodrigue Gallery card from Lafayette, Louisiana. Presented in a wood frame. Provenance: Michel Roux (1940-2019), Absolut Vodka's visionary marketer. Work Size: 30 x 24 in. Dimensions: 38.5 X 32.25 X 2.5 in. Condition: Good overall condition with mild surface wear. The frame exhibits light storage wear along the edges and corners. Note: This condition statement is provided as a courtesy and reflects an opinion, not a statement of fact. Bidders are encouraged to inspect items in person or through an agent to assess condition. Estate fresh to the market. Shipping: Hill Auction Gallery does not provide in-house shipping for this item. Pickup is available by appointment only, free of charge. For third-party packing, shipping, or freight quotes, please contact Patrick at 1shippingcenter@gmail.com or 754-800-7674. A list of additional local third-party shippers is available upon request. Local Delivery: Florida door-to-door hand delivery service available for this lot; contact Toti@Zemaqua.com for an estimate.
George Rodrigue (American, 1944–2013), original oil painting on canvas titled Cabin in St. Martinville. This painting depicts a rustic Louisiana bayou scene with a moss-covered oak tree and a small wooden cabin bathed in moody lighting. Executed in rich blues, greens, and earthy browns, the composition evokes the quiet solitude of the region’s historic architecture and natural beauty. Signed in the lower right, the painting is presented in an ornate gilt frame. The verso features a Rodrigue Gallery stamp and retains a title card affixed alongside the canvas maker’s card. Provenance: Michel Roux (1940-2019), Absolut Vodka's visionary marketer. Work Size: 20 x 16 in. Dimensions: 24 X 20 X 1.75 in. Condition: Good overall condition with mild surface wear. The frame exhibits storage wear along the edges and corners. Note: This condition statement is provided as a courtesy and reflects an opinion, not a statement of fact. Bidders are encouraged to inspect items in person or through an agent to assess condition. Estate fresh to the market. Shipping: Hill Auction Gallery does not provide in-house shipping for this item. Pickup is available by appointment only, free of charge. For third-party packing, shipping, or freight quotes, please contact Patrick at 1shippingcenter@gmail.com or 754-800-7674. A list of additional local third-party shippers is available upon request. Local Delivery: Florida door-to-door hand delivery service available for this lot; contact Toti@Zemaqua.com for an estimate.
Framed silkscreen on paper, "Living in the Spotlight," signed in the print Rodrigue (George Rodrigue, Louisiana, California, 1944-2013), numbered 20/ 450, accompanied by certificate of authenticity issued by the estate of George Rodrigue, sight: approx 22"h, 31"w, overall: approx 33.5"h, 42"w, 17.5lbs
Framed silkscreen in colors on paper, "You See the Love Over Me," signed in the print Rodrigue (George Rodrigue, Louisiana, California, 1944-2013), numbered 13/ 450, accompanied by certificate of authenticity issued by the estate of George Rodrigue, sight: approx 22"h, 31"w, overall: approx 34.5"h, 43"w, 18.5lbs
Description: The Art of George Rodrigue 1st Edition 2003 Abrams NY paperback book. Signed and inscribed - dated 2013. Materials: Paper Markings & Inscriptions: Signed and inscribed Date: 2003 Author: George Rodrigue, Ginger Danto Dimensions: 12" x 9" x 1". Provenance: From a Lansdale, Pennsylvania collection.
George Rodrigue And the Dog Jumped Over the Moon 2000 screenprint in colors image: 20 h x 23 w in (51 x 58 cm) sight: 23.5 h x 26.5 w in (60 x 67 cm) Signed and numbered to lower edge 'Rodrigue Printers Proof 5/5'. This work is printer's proof 5 of 5 apart from the edition of 150. Literature: Rodrigue 163 This work will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.
† George Rodrigue American/Louisiana, 1944-2013 "Love Among Ruins" silkscreen 1994, signed lower left, numbered "28/90" lower right, framed. Ill.: Rodrigue, George and Wendy Wolfe Rodrigue. George Rodrigue Prints: A Catalogue Raisonne 1970-2007. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2008, p. 101. 20 x 32 in. (50.8 x 81.3 cm.), Frame: 25 x 37 x 1 in. (63.5 x 94 x 2.5 cm.)
† George Rodrigue American/Louisiana, 1944-2013 "New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (Pete Fountain)" silkscreen 1996, pencil-signed, numbered "8152/10000" and blindstamp lower margin, framed. Ill.: Rodrigue, George and Wendy Wolfe Rodrigue. George Rodrigue Prints: A Catalogue Raisonné 1970-2007. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2008, p. 220. 33 x 20 in. (83.8 x 50.8 cm.), Frame: 42 1/4 x 28 1/2 x 1 in. (107.3 x 72.4 x 2.5 cm.)
† George Rodrigue American/Louisiana, 1944-2013 "Waiting for the Ride (Looking for Summer Shade)" oil on canvas 1973, signed lower left and en verso, titled, inscribed "#7719" and 3 "George Rodrigue Gallery Lafayette, LA" stamps on stretcher, exhibition label with artist, title and date on reverse of frame, framed. 36 x 24 in. (91.4 x 61 cm.), Frame: 44 1/2 x 32 1/2 x 1 3/4 in. (113 x 82.6 x 4.4 cm.) Provenance: Acquired from the artist; Roland Begneaud Family Collection, Lafayette, LA. Ill.: Freundlich, Lawrence S. George Rodrigue: A Cajun Artist. New York: Penguin Group, 1996, pl. 64, p. 89. Exh.: "George Rodrigue: Cajuns and Blue Dogs / Paintings from Louisiana Family Collections 1971-2008", Louisiana State Museum Wedell Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum, Patterson, LA, July 17 - Nov. 29, 2008. Often based on 1920s-30s period photographs from his mother's album, Rodrigue's early Cajun paintings reflect his interpretation of a fading era and his own Louisiana Cajun heritage with a contemporary and unique approach. His timeless figures inhabit a landscape clearly both familiar and beloved by the artist. In "Waiting for the Ride" (alternately titled "Looking for Summer Shade"), Rodrigue depicts three girls, one holding a ruffled parasol and two with wide-brimmed hats, seeking solace from the heat of a summer day under an oak tree. They are arrayed in front of a rectangular hitching post which serves to hint at the nature of their "ride" and anchors them within the composition. The two sources of light, the girls' white garb and the sun glowing beneath the tree, serve to highlight the often-shadowed landscape of Acadiana and allow Rodrigue's Cajuns to shine from within with the symbolic hope of a displaced people. Rodrigue captured the folklore and culture of the Cajuns at a time when it was slipping away and evolving into something new. So often, the beautiful and distinguishing aspects of a society are lost to time through this process. Rodrigue found a way through his distinctive graphic language to preserve and protect these stories. His early canvases, such as this one, are simultaneously personal, historical and modern.
† George Rodrigue 1944-2013 "Today We Saw the Saints" oil on canvas 1988, signed lower left, signed, titled and dated en verso, inscribed "#69" on stretcher, framed. Exh.: Upstairs Gallery, 368 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA, Apr. - May, 1988. Click to Learn More about this Painting from Wendy Rodrigue In 1980, a Baton Rouge investment group commissioned George Rodrigue to illustrate a book of Louisiana ghost stories to be sold at the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans. Authored by Chris Segura and featuring forty ghastly tales, Bayou, published by Inkwell Press the year of the fair, includes images of forty loosely corresponding paintings which took the artist three years to complete and would become known as the Bayou Collection. In approaching the project, Rodrigue looked, as he was accustomed to doing, close to home for inspiration. He took the opportunity to paint the loup-garou (even though it is never once mentioned in the story) for the chapter "Slaughter House," recalling his mother's version of the legend where the loup-garou was a crazy wolf or ghost dog that prowled cemeteries and sugar cane fields waiting to pounce upon naughty children. Rodrigue followed a pattern of turning to his photo files for visual inspiration, finding snapshots of the family pet, Tiffany, who had passed away a few years prior. Tiffany had been with the Rodrigue family since she was a puppy and was a loyal studio companion to the artist. He had many photographs of her, often at eye-level, and found her strong shape suitable for his purposes. The resulting painting, "Watchdog," depicts the loup-garou in the foreground on tomb-like stepping stones with blue-grey fur under the night sky, wide yellow eyes with red pupils and a haunted house depicted in a rich, saturated red in the background. In retrospect, one can note that "Watchdog" was a pivotal moment in the artist's career; however, it was not an immediate shift. The image clearly haunted Rodrigue, who at this point had already developed his clear, unique interpretation of the Louisiana landscape and his emblematic depictions of his own Cajun culture. He was drawn to the strong, graphic element of the dog and its anomalous color against the dark oaks. Over the next five years, he painted additional images of the loup-garou as part of his Cajun series, always situated solidly within the bayous of Acadiana and in the vein of the original narrative. As his Cajun paintings continued to receive national and international acclaim, the loup-garous multiplied on his canvases, culminating in 1988 in an exhibition at the Upstairs Gallery at 368 N. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills of sixty paintings, including around a dozen featuring the loup-garou. This exhibition is where Rodrigue overhead a new phrase from visitors– "Blue Dogs." As described by Wendy Rodrigue: "George says that his first reaction was ‘Blue Dogs? What are they talking about?' He really had no idea that people looked at his loup-garou in this way. The show was a sell-out – the Cajuns, the Landscapes, and the Blue Dogs (which after this were no longer part of the Cajun paintings, but rather took on a category of their own). George left that show with a lot to think about. He was shocked that it took a California audience to recognize this new, strong phenomenon in his work." "Today We Saw the Saints" was included in the Upstairs Gallery exhibition in 1988 and bears striking similarity in composition to "Watchdog," with the significant addition of a remarkable, rare self-portrait. The stepping stones, following a similar diagonal pattern, have morphed into fully realized tombstones complete with grave markers. The artist himself, clad in white from head to toe, simultaneously glows against the dark oak and melds into the tombs upon which he stands. While he gazes into the future, the loup-garou confronts the viewer with a direct, red-eyed stare. The rough, wispy fur, oval eyes and deeper blue color present a creature even more wolf-like and otherworldly than the one seen in "Watchdog," as though the loup-garou is now manifesting in its true form, five years later. The third figure, Rodrigue's first wife, directs her eyes toward the artist and provides a stark contrast to the scene with her red outfit and hair, a strong counterpoint to the composition that plays a role similar to the haunted house element in "Watchdog." Color played an important part in Rodrigue's work throughout his oeuvre, with each hue often having both a symbolic and compositional function. Blue and its spiritual qualities in particular would come to define him as a colorist, however his strong background in design was clear from his earliest utilization of shape and color to create timeless scenes. Tombs and cemeteries were a common subject matter for Rodrigue, as the above-ground cemeteries and "cities of the dead" unique to South Louisiana helped to define the area's culture and landscape. Rodrigue also had a personal connection to the theme, as his father once ran a tomb business. The high-school aged artist would drive his father's van to school, emblazoned on the side with the words "Rodrigue's Portable Concrete Burial Vaults," and he would be sent to sink the "air-tight" tombs in the cemetery when they would float after a heavy rain. The tombs fit perfectly with the legend of the loup-garou, perennially lurking in cemeteries, and perhaps also represent in this canvas the artist's connection to those lost – Tiffany herself, the generations of Cajuns preceding him, and his father, "Big George," who had passed in 1967. "Today We Saw the Saints" represents an extraordinary moment for George Rodrigue, a paradigm shift just as transformative as "Watchdog." He stands in the canvas as the master of his landscape - honoring his past, his Cajun heritage and his artistic development just as he unknowingly balances on the cusp of a life-altering transition. The loup-garou, perched atop the tomb, foreshadows Rodrigue's journey into the future and the Blue Dog series that will survive the artist himself and stand the test of time as an American art icon. Ref.: Rodrigue, Wendy. "Blue Dog: In the Beginning, 1984-1989." George Rodrigue Life & Legacy Foundation. Oct. 21, 2009. www.legacyarttour.org. Accessed Dec. 27, 2024; Rodrigue, Wendy. "Tombs in the Life and Art of George Rodrigue." George Rodrigue Life & Legacy Foundation. Oct. 7, 2009. www.legacyarttour.org. Accessed Dec. 27, 2024. 40 x 30 in. (101.6 x 76.2 cm.), Frame: 48 1/2 x 38 1/2 x 1 1/2 in. (123.2 x 97.8 x 3.8 cm.)
† George Rodrigue American/Louisiana, 1944-2013 "Stroud's Shady Oaks" oil on canvas signed lower right, framed. Provenance: Acquired from the artist; thence by descent. George Rodrigue painted portraits throughout his career, beginning in the early 1970s and gaining a national reputation in the 1980s with a presidential portrait commission of Ronald Reagan. Rodrigue's portraits, even as they capture the essence of a particular sitter, retain the enduring qualities of the artist's carefully developed style and visual language that transcend one individual or singular moment in time. Often depicted against the oak trees of Acadiana, his subjects glow against the foliage in the same manner as his Cajuns. Strong shapes, hard edges and a rich palette are common veins running between his portraits. In "Stroud's Shady Oaks" offered here, Rodrigue's inclusion of the wine bottle and steak on the table results in a charming still life vignette which could have come straight from his famous "Aioli Dinner" of 1971, yet also perfectly suits his sitter. Dwight Stroud was born in Union Church, Mississippi in 1931. He married the love of his life Margaret Bertrand, from Abbeville, Louisiana in 1961, after working on a seismograph crew in the area. In 1963, Stroud bought Shady Oaks Restaurant in Abbeville and began a lifelong career in the restaurant business. Stroud's Shady Oaks was a gathering place and special occasion venue for many. The Abbeville restaurant was a study in contrasts. The walls held collections of fine European Boehm porcelain figurines and Lalique crystal, while ketchup and mustard bottles contained in aluminum pie tins topped the tables. Stroud's wine collection was legendary. Featured in Wine Spectator, he had connections to some of California's finest vintners and imported Premier Cru wines from France. His steaks were hand chosen, seasoned with a secret concoction, then fried in rendered beef fat. Leaving Abbeville in 1988, he opened Stroud's Steakhouse in Lafayette, which closed in 2004. Stroud passed away in 2009. Rodrigue, who always enjoyed a good meal, was friends with Stroud and regularly frequented the restaurant. This original portrait served as the basis for a poster for the business and was a cherished remembrance of good times between two unique and captivating characters. Ref.: Tutwiler, Mary. "End of an Era, Dwight Stroud Laid to Rest." The Independent. Oct. 2, 2009.
† George Rodrigue American/Louisiana, 1944-2013 "Siblings" oil on canvas 1970, signed lower left, signed, dated, "Studio de Rodrigue" and "Painted in Louisiana by George Rodrigue" stamps on stretcher, framed with artist plaque. 12 x 9 in. (30.5 x 22.9 cm.), Frame: 18 3/4 x 15 3/4 x 1 1/2 in. (47.6 x 40 x 3.8 cm.) Provenance: Acquired from the artist; Roland Begneaud Family Collection, Lafayette, LA. Ill.: Freundlich, Lawrence S. George Rodrigue: A Cajun Artist. New York: Penguin Group, 1996, pl. 27, p. 58. In March of 1967, George Rodrigue returned to his hometown of New Iberia, Louisiana from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, where he had been studying traditional painting techniques, abstract expressionism, pop art and hard-edge painting. As he explored his own path forward as an artist, Rodrigue's earliest landscapes from 1967 to 1970 often included elements such as cabins and small figures. As his unique vision of Louisiana developed however, he abandoned these additional components in favor of the oak tree alone – his symbol of his home state. As he began to develop local supporters, Rodrigue was introduced to the famous Louisiana architect, A. Hays Town, and his advice to the young artist further transformed Rodrigue's approach. Town told him to "treat each painting like a jewel, because if it is precious to you, it will be precious to others as well." The canvas titled "Siblings" from 1970 offered here is both a jewel and a window into the early development of the artist. The silhouetted oak trees in the background, one not quite cropped at the top, and a rich, dark foreground dominate the composition, while the light shining beneath the trees is particularly bright for the period – symbolizing the artist's hope for the future. Ref.: Rodrigue, Wendy. "Early Oak Trees and a Regrettable Self-Portrait." George Rodrigue Life & Legacy Foundation. Oct. 14, 2009. www.legacyarttour.org. Accessed Dec. 27, 2024; Rodrigue, Wendy. "Remembering Lafayette's Advocates for the Arts, Circa 1969." George Rodrigue Life & Legacy Foundation. June 22, 2010. www.legacyarttour.org. Accessed Dec. 27, 2024.
George Rodrigue (American/Louisiana, 1944-2013), "Louisiana Writer Gus Weill with Artist," 1981, color lithograph poster, pencil signed lower right, presented in a black metal frame,
George Rodrigue (American/Louisiana 1944-2013), "New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Poster (with Al Hirt and Blue Dog)," 2000, color lithograph, signed in print lower right, numbered "3533/10000" lower right margin, presented in a faux black wood frame,
attributed to: George Rodrigue, American (1944 - 2013) Oil on canvas "Blue Dog" on pink ground. Signed lower right, signed and dated 1998 on stretcher verso. Very good condition. Measures 30" x 22", frame measures 33-3/8" x 25-1/4". LA/B13/SH:15B
George Rodrigue American/Louisiana 1944-2013 "Tobacco Art: Cigar and Cigarette Labels from Cuba and Florida, Cuban National Heritage, The Presbytere, Louisiana State Museum" silkscreen 1998, pencil-signed lower left, inscribed "Artist Proof" lower right, unframed. Sheet: 32 3/8 x 23 1/4 in. (82.2 x 59.1 cm.) Ill.: Rodrigue, George and Wendy Wolfe Rodrigue. George Rodrigue Prints: A Catalogue Raisonné 1970-2007. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2008, p. 162.
George Rodrigue American/Louisiana 1944-2013 "Rodrigue's Louisiana: Cajuns, Blue Dogs and Beyond Katrina, New Orleans Museum of Art March 1 - June 8, 2008" exhibition poster, limited edition book and artist ephemera poster signed lower right, framed; Rodrigue, George. The Cajuns of George Rodrigue. Louisiana Bicentennial Special Limited Edition. Birmingham: Oxmoor House, Inc., 1976, signed and numbered "3317" on inside cover; 2 George Rodrigue calendars, 1978 and 2014; together with 7 George Rodrigue gallery pamphlets. (11 pcs.) Poster: 24 x 18 in. (61 x 45.7 cm.), Frame: 25 3/4 x 19 3/4 x 1 in. (65.4 x 50.2 x 2.5 cm.)
George Rodrigue American/Louisiana, 1944-2013 "Louisiana Artworks" silkscreen 2003, pencil-signed and numbered "95/500" lower margin, Louisiana Artworks logo printed lower right, created for the benefit of Louisiana Artworks, a project of the Arts Council of New Orleans, framed.
George Rodrigue 1944-2013 "Fishing for Tomorrow's Dinner (Catching Supper)" oil on canvas 1977, signed lower left and en verso, artist stamps, titled and inscribed "#7734" on stretcher, framed. Ill.: Freundlich, Lawrence S. George Rodrigue: A Cajun Artist. New York: Penguin Group, 1996, p. 104, pl. 82. Neal Auction Presents: The Art of George Rodrigue with Wendy Rodrigue Part II 18 x 24 in. (45.7 x 61 cm.), Frame: 25 1/2 x 31 1/2 x 2 in. (64.8 x 80 x 5.1 cm.)
† George Rodrigue 1944-2013 "Blue Dog" marker on cloth napkin signed mid-left, framed. Sight: 11 x 13 in. (27.9 x 33 cm.), Frame: 13 x 17 x 2 in. (33 x 43.2 x 5.1 cm.) Neal Auction Presents: The Art of George Rodrigue with Wendy Rodrigue Part II
George Rodrigue 1944-2013 "Blue Dog in Tie" mixed media on board 2013, signed lower right, framed. Sight: 9 x 8 1/4 in. (22.9 x 21 cm.), Frame: 17 1/4 x 16 1/4 x 1 1/2 in. (43.8 x 41.3 x 3.8 cm.) Neal Auction Presents: The Art of George Rodrigue with Wendy Rodrigue Part II
George Rodrigue 1944-2013 "A Dark Night Can Have Some Bright Spots" oil on gallery-wrapped canvas 2000, signed lower right, signed, titled and dated en verso, unframed. 60 x 48 in. (152.4 x 101.6 cm.) Rodrigue Studio, New Orleans, LA; thence by descent. Neal Auction Presents: The Art of George Rodrigue with Wendy Rodrigue Part II
George Rodrigue Ho Ho Ho 2000 screenprint in colors image: 19.875 h x 15.5 w in (50 x 39 cm) sheet: 21.875 h x 17.5 w in (56 x 44 cm) Signed and numbered to lower edge 'Rodrigue 65/150'. This work is number 65 from the edition of 150. Literature: Rodrigue 178 This work will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.
Blue Dog in Yellow Tie Print Sheet size: 22 - 1/2" x 17 - 1/2" Facsimile signature in the lower left Numbered in the lower right, 5/100. Condition: Dimensions:
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, 1995 Silkscreen print Sheet size: 35" x 21" Signed in lower right Edition: 3246/10,000 Unframed Condition: Dimensions:
