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Howard Hughes

Portrait Gallery

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Object Details

Artist

Ernest Hamlin Baker, 1889 - 1975

Sitter

Howard Robard Hughes, 24 Dec 1905 - 1976

Exhibition Label

Aviation tycoon Howard Hughes was hard to ignore even though he was reclusive by nature. He was also intelligent and one of the wealthiest people in America. With money to fuel his entrepreneurial passions—which included making such movies as his World War I flying sensation, Hell’s Angels (1930)—he confidently told Time magazine, “I’ll make news for you.” In May of 1948, Hughes had just bought a controlling interest in RKO Pictures, in which he intended to shake up the management. RKO owned 124 theaters, and Time speculated that the purchase would make film distribution easier for Hughes. Mixing “sex, slapstick and violence,” his films—like The Outlaw (1943), starring seductive Jane Russell—would now have less risk of censorship from movie house managers.
Era difícil ignorar al magnate de la aviación Howard Hughes, a pesar de su natural tendencia al aislamiento. También era inteligente y uno de los hombres más ricos de Estados Unidos. Contando con el caudal necesario para respaldar sus pasiones empresariales (entre ellas películas como la famosa Hell’s Angels (1930), sobre los pilotos de la Segunda Guerra Mundial), Hughes declaró a la revista Time: “Voy a hacer noticia para ustedes”. En mayo de 1948 acababa de convertirse en accionista mayoritario de RKO Pictures y tenía intención de intervenir en la gerencia. RKO poseía 124 cines y Time especulaba que la movida de Hughes le facilitaría su propia distribución. Ahora, esos filmes suyos —mezcla de “sexo, slapstick y violencia”, como The Outlaw, de 1943, con la seductora Jane Russell— correrían menos riesgo de ser censurados por los gerentes de las salas de proyección.

Collection Description

In 1978, Time magazine donated approximately eight hundred works of original cover art to the National Portrait Gallery. The museum is dedicated to telling the stories of individuals who have shaped the United States, and the Time Collection—featuring prominent international figures and events—enriches our understanding of the United States in a global context.
En 1978, la revista Time donó a la National Portrait Gallery cerca de 800 obras de arte originales creadas para sus portadas. Nuestro museo se dedica a narrar la historia de figuras que han contribuido a forjar el desarrollo de Estados Unidos, y es así que la Colección Time, que incluye retratos de importantes personalidades internacionales, nos ayuda a comprender mejor a nuestra nación en un contexto global.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Conserved with funds from The Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation

Date

1948

Object number

NPG.97.TC43

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Painting

Medium

Gouache and ink on paper on paperboard

Dimensions

Board: 34.3 x 31.3 x 0.5cm (13 1/2 x 12 5/16 x 3/16")
Image: 30.2 × 24.8cm (11 7/8 × 9 3/4")

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Location

Currently not on view

Data Source

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Mustache
Vehicle\Airplane
Home Furnishings\Lighting Devices
Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Necktie
Howard Robard Hughes: Male
Howard Robard Hughes: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Film\Film producer
Howard Robard Hughes: Science and Technology\Aviator
Howard Robard Hughes: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Aircraft
Howard Robard Hughes: Civilian awards\Congressional Gold Medal
Portrait

Metadata Usage

Usage conditions apply

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm412fc387f-ec24-4327-9db0-bf4d60057341

Record ID

npg_NPG.97.TC43

Discover More

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1948: A Year in the Colletions

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