Before there was Photorealism, there was Austin Briggs.

Done in 1951, this work has all the hallmarks of the 1970's fine art movement and more.

Briggs is using photographs as a reference source but is combining many different photos to make one unique composition. One of the main things that differentiates Briggs, is that he is a great realist painter and not just a copier of photos. This work was a commercial assignment for an ad or a magazine illustration. Squint your eyes and the work becomes a harmonious interplay of shapes colors, light and shadow.