Anthony Quinn Drawings

A collection of Anthony Quinn drawings in pastel were first exhibited around 1948 in Chicago during the nationally touring theater production of A Streetcar Named Desire in which he played the leading part of Stanley Kowalski. In response to a criticism by an artists friend that, “of course you will sell your artwork, people will buy it for your name!”, before the exhibition, Anthony decided to sign the drawings with his mother’s maiden name, Oaxaca. He remained anonymous yet every drawing on exhibit in the gallery was sold. For years, he continued the practice of signing “A. Oaxaca” on his drawings then in the 1960’s began signing his paintings and drawings with his own last name, Quinn.