Auction introduction: Rago and Toomey & Co. are pleased to offer over 100 works in an auction dedicated to Edward Penfield: American Illustrator on May 18th with all material sourced directly from the artist's estate. Like Alphonse Mucha and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who helped to define the popular Art Nouveau style of graphic art in Europe at the end of the 19th century, Edward Penfield is largely credited with setting the tone for the Golden Age of American poster art during the same period. The sale on May 18th includes compositions dating to various parts of Penfield's esteemed career — from his early days at Harper & Brothers, to his tenure as art director, to his later freelance work for other publishers and his travels in Holland and Spain. Showcasing Penfield's wide array of favorite themes, the mediums available include: gouache, watercolor, and oil paintings; ink, graphite, and charcoal illustrations; mixed media and collages; lithographs and posters; plus sketches, bound drawings, and other ephemera.