Photo Flash: Marlon Brando, Arthur Miller & More Immortalized by Hirschfeld; First Look at NYPL's THE LINE KING Exhibit!

In The Line King's Library: Al Hirschfeld at The New York Public Library, The Library for the Performing Arts presents the largest exhibition of Al Hirschfeld's artwork and archival material from its collection. On display through January 4, 2014, in the Library for the Performing Art's Oenslager Gallery, the free, multimedia exhibition celebrates the Al Hirschfeld Foundation's latest gift of Hirschfeld papers and objects to the Library, and commemorates the 110th anniversary of his birth. BroadwayWorld brings you a special sneak peek of the exhibit below!

"Each day when I walk into The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and see the barber chair and drawing table where Al Hirschfeld created virtually all of his works, I'm reminded of his special connection to this institution," said Jacqueline Z. Davis, Barbara G. and Lawrence A. Fleishman Executive Director of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. "The Line King's Library gives us an opportunity to show one of The Library for the Performing Arts' most extensive collections and the remarkable work of one of New York's most beloved and iconic artists. His generous donations of his work helped inspire others to do the same."

Al Hirschfeld (1903 - 2003) brought a new set of visual conventions to the task of performance portraiture when he made his debut in 1926. His signature work, defined by a linear calligraphic style, made his name a verb: to be "Hirschfelded" was a sign that one has arrived. Appearing in virtually every major publication -- most notably in The New York Times over the course of a 75-year relationship -- Hirschfeld's works were as much a part of the cultural landscape as the individuals they depicted. His career began at Goldwyn Pictures in 1920 across the street from the main branch of The New York Public Library, and over the next nine decades, Hirschfeld and the Library became even closer. Hirschfeld availed himself of the Library's book and picture collections, he attended its events, and was a lifelong supporter. Over the years, the Library has collected originAl Hirschfeld drawings, paintings, and prints, and its shelves are filled with books and publications featuring Hirschfeld artwork, as well as posters, album covers, and all manner of ephemera.

Photo Credit: © The Al Hirschfeld Foundation. All rights reserved. www.AlHirschfeldFoundation.org.