LEROY NEIMAN (American 1921-2012) A PAINTING, "Of and For Eva Linda Moreno," CIRCA 1975, oil on orange velvet, sitter identified and signed L/R, "Eva Linda," over "leRoy Neiman '75," verso inscribed in pen, "Of and For Eva Linda Moreno, Painted almost 10 years ago in New York, Merry Christmas, leRoy Neiman '84."  16" x 20" Note: Eva Linda Moreno (1941-2019), studio assistant to famed artist LeRoy Neiman (1921-2012) from 1960-1979, was well known as the artist's confidant, travel partner, lifelong friend and muse. The Eva Linda Moreno Estate Collection preserved and reveals personal ephemera, artistic studio articles, personalized painted clothing, photographs, prints, drawings and paintings - all received as gifts from the artist. The collection contains many pieces of personally dedicated art to "Eva Linda," and sometimes "Bonehead," LeRoy Neiman's affectionate pet name for her.A chance meeting in Miami circa 1960 sparked a nearly forty-year relationship spent between the artist's studio in New York and holiday visits to Houston. During her time as studio assistant, Eva Linda Moreno maintained paintbrushes, prepped canvases and surfaces - she would often select the paints and would personally begin a background of a painting. Eva Linda Moreno gifted vibrancy and her own Latin culture to Neiman's work and life, as he expressed in a heartfelt handwritten note, "Bonehead-They don't make them like you anymore. Love, LeRoy." According to family history, Eva Linda Moreno was the model for LeRoy Neiman's "Femlins," which are his famous buxom sprite drawings, found playfully throughout vintage issues of Playboy Magazine pages. Provenance: Property from the Estate of Eva Linda Moreno, Houston, Texas.

Some spots and surface wear throughout, scrapes of velvet pile, dust debris, but overall in good condition, wear commensurate with age. Simpson Galleries strongly encourages in-person inspection of items by the bidder. Statements by Simpson Galleries regarding the condition of objects are for guidance only and should not be relied upon as statements of fact and do not constitute a representation, warranty, or assumption of liability by Simpson Galleries. All lots offered are sold "AS IS."