Modern Pop Art Elizabeth Taylor Portrait in Pencil by Bill Nelson, 1980

Stunning early master illustration by Bill Nelson in his preferred medium of colored pencil for the Cincinnati Magazine cover story (May 1980). Framed. Taylor stares out at the viewer in a modern take on the 3/4 length pyramidal portrait, rosy cheeks, massive hair, cleavage and diamond in tow. Nelson was quite a young artist at this time but would go on to become a massive success as an illustrator and graphic artist in the 1980s (I’ve included his notable portrait of Defoe from 1989 here for reference). In the 1990s, he gravitated toward more grotesque or cartoonish imagery, became a notable sculptor. It’s insanely difficult to find masters of any of his earlier work and this is quite a stunning example. The tactile, fleshy quality of the figure and the amount of empty space for copy above is quite stunning and Nelson underscores this juxtaposition with his signature write in the liminal space beyond Taylor’s shoulder. The work comes with an original framed copy of the May 1980 issue.