So,
Who knows a story about seduction and a grape vine?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_Savage
Probably my favorite artist and he has the coolest name.
I have, and enjoyed, a book he illustrated, the English editition of a book called Droll Tales by a French author named Balzac. It's how I became aware if his odd woodcut print style. I've been looking for an original by this artist for years and my perfunctory search abilities never turn up a thing. I can't even find a print other than a ww2 propaganda poster.
He also did a LOT of science fiction covers for books and magazines.
The style of these two (and the Balzac) is a bit...Macabre... but it catches my fancy. These two are a cross of the woodcut look of the Balzak book and his scifi illustrations.
I found and bought these two water colors today. I did hand wringing for five months before pulling the trigger. At $120 bucks each, I'm safe, and I like them just fine anyway. They're about 24x30,the size I've seen other illustrators use. (and they're both just so damn odd they had to have been done as illustration)
They are signed 'rennart' but the style is so close to the Droll Tales and it's such an odd style, I'm semi convinced these are Steele Savage illustrations for a book.
Here's the help I need:
The art has a congruence of grapes overhead, and gifts or seduction.
They are obviously two different men, possibly two different women and the clothing tells a tale of trysts over years of time.
What I need to know is if the paintings spark any memory of a story. If I know the story, I'll find the book. If I find the book, I'll know if it was Steele Savage as illustrator.
I don't want to buy every book he was associated with.
Thanks.
We're a very diverse group here. I'm hoping someone knows the story.