This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/31/2005.
Simply stated, Babe Ruth transcended sports. A truly larger than life figure, even the great opera singer Enrico Caruso was described by the New York Times as "the Babe Ruth of operatic tenors." Time Magazine described Willie Sutton as the "Babe Ruth of bank robbers." Even in these modern times, Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf described Michael Jordan as "the Babe Ruth of basketball." This superb painting of Babe Ruth is done in oil on canvas and has been placed in an elegant 22" x 26" sculpted wood frame. Over a dazzling blue background is a large frontal portrait of Babe Ruth (head and shoulders), in Yankee pinstripes and Yankee cap. The remarkable likeness to the Babe is breathtaking - although the painting is done in a relatively simple style, the results are brilliant. It appears as if Ruth could simply stand up and walk right out of this photo and into your living room! Juxtaposed on the left is a rendition of Ruth in the legendary "called shot" stance from the 1932 World Series. Instantly recognizable from one of baseball's great legends, this depiction is done in a soft, hazy light blue and instantly imparts the viewer with a deep nostalgia for those bygone times. The painting has been signed in the lower right corner and dated "'84" by the artist Robert Stephen Simon. An artist of unique diversity and style, native New Yorker Simon is the U.S. Sports Academy 1992 Sports Illustrator of the Year. The painting is in NRMT-MINT condition with a small scratch over Ruth's left eye and a tiny stain on his left shoulder. Several of the artists' original oils are currently on sale for between $25,000.00 - $50,000.00.