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Louise Hirschfeld, Frank Rich, and More Discuss Legacy of Al Hirschfeld

The master artist’s work is on display at the New-York Historical Society.

Frank Rich, Louise Kerz HIrschfeld, Robert Osbourne, and Harold Prince discuss Al Hirschfeld.
Frank Rich, Louise Kerz Hirschfeld, Robert Osbourne, and Harold Prince discuss Al Hirschfeld.
(© Don Pollard)

The New-York Historical Society presented a special event called Memories of Al Hirschfeld as part of its current exhibition, The Hirschfeld Century: The Art of Al Hirschfeld. The evening took place on Thursday, May 28, at 6:30pm.

The evening featured a discussion between Al Hirschfeld Foundation President Louise Kerz Hirschfeld, Robert Osborne of Turner Classic Movies, legendary Broadway director Harold Prince, and journalist and critic Frank Rich, regarding the life and legacy of Al Hirschfeld through is art, career, and personal relationships.

Organized by Kerz Hirschfeld and guest-curated by David Leopold of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, the exhibition is the most comprehensive to date, featuring more than 100 original drawings from the artist's early work for Hollywood studios to his last drawings for the New York Times. The exhibition features classic portraits of Charlie Chaplin, Carol Channing, Ella Fitzgerald, Jane Fonda, and Ringo Starr, as well as cast drawings from such landmark productions as Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, and The Glass Menagerie. Also on view are selections from the artist's sketchbooks, ephemera, and related videos.

The New-York Historical Society is dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804, New-York Historical has a mission to explore the richly layered history of New York City and State and the country, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history.

Frank Rich, Louise Kerz HIrschfeld, Robert Osbourne, and Harold Prince beneath Al Hirschfeld's self portrait with his wife Louise Kerz Hirschfeld.
Frank Rich, Louise Kerz Hirschfeld, Robert Osbourne, and Harold Prince beneath Al Hirschfeld’s self-portrait with Louise, his wife.
(© Don Pollard)