"“You love my island already” Story illustration for Woman’s Home Comp" Lot no. 717
By Tom Lovell (1909-1997)
1947 (Estimated)
26.00" x 39.00" Framed: 32.5" x 45.25"
Oil on Canvas
Signed Lower Left
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Original magazine story illustration for “A Summer to Remember” by Marjorie Marks for Woman’s Home Companion, published January 1948, pages 20-21. The full caption reads: “‘You love my island already,’ he said. ‘I can see it in your face.”
The story begins with Margaret Neale's flight to Tern Island alongside her husband, Tom. This journey evokes profound anxiety for Margaret, as she harbors a secret related to the island—specifically, her connection to the charismatic Pierre Mazerac—that she fears could jeopardize her marriage. Unaware of her distress, Tom, an architect with a passion for real estate, views the trip as a welcome escape and business opportunity. Despite her initial reluctance, Margaret ultimately agreed to accompany him, now tasked with carefully concealing her past.
The illustration captures Pierre's enthusiastic welcome upon Margaret's arrival. Sun-bronzed and commanding, he greets her with open arms, taking her bags as she gazes across the sound. Pierre intensely studies Margaret's face, declaring, “You love my island already. I can see it in your face.” Lovell's artistic choices—the dynamic representation of wind, the dramatic use of diagonals, and the stark interplay of light and shadow—contribute to a palpable sense of movement and foreboding to the scene.
Literature:
The present artwork is also illustrated on page 97 of Tom Lovell - Illustrator by Daniel Zimmer (Illustrated Press, 2016).
Explore related art collections: Romance / Beach/Summer / 1950s / Women as Subjects / Men / Magazine Stories / $5,000 - $20,000 / Newly Researched
See all original artwork by Tom Lovell
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Had an extreme attention for detail and rarely completed more then a dozen major oil paintings a year. He was a Freelance illustrator for many well-known magazines including Colliers and the Saturday Evening Post and become known as a pulp illustrator. His work depicting life in the old west earned him his reputation of Dean of Western Art and allowed him to win just about every major Western Art prize that exist. He was voted into the Society of Illustrators in 1974 and was chosen to receive two Gold Metals.