$23,000
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Description
58" (147 cm.) x 46". Oil on canvas with shaded background is centered by young Shirley Temple, posed standing in a brown velvet dress with lace collar. Her presence is signified by classic ringlet curls, smiling expression, and fingertip-length skirt hem. Her shoes are shown scuffed at the toes indicating their dancing purpose, and alongside sits her beloved Scottie named Corky and a bird cage whose canary resident is tethered on a leash. Signed in lower corner "P. Costa 1936". Included with the painting are several vintage photographs including one of Shirley (wearing dress #301 of this book) standing alongside her painting with the artist, Costa, another of teenage Shirley in her home seated at her Steinway baby grand piano with the painting in the background, and (not shown) a large format sepia photograph of the painting itself. Costa, the Russian-born portrait painter, immigrated to the United States in 1929 at the age of 38. He was commissioned for portraits of Presidents Hoover and FDR, as well as portraits of General MacArthur, the Prince of Wales, and King Christian of Denmark. In 1935 he moved to California, and among his works during that era is this portrait of Shirley Temple.