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Mad Magazine's Mad Genius

A new retrospective celebrates the Michelangelo of Mad magazine, Basil Wolverton, who influenced a generation of illustrators, including R. Crumb. VIEW OUR GALLERY.

Published Aug. 6 2009 10:00AM EDT

galleries/2009/08/06/mad-magazine-s-mad-genius/basil-wolverton-1_dqnkly — Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York

galleries/2009/08/06/mad-magazine-s-mad-genius/basil-wolverton-1_ihjefi — Ink on paper
14 1/2 x 21 1/2 inches (36.8 x 54.6 cm)
Copyright the Wolverton Estate and Glenn Bray
Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York

galleries/2009/08/06/mad-magazine-s-mad-genius/basil-wolverton-2_pwnorf — Ink on paper
19 x 15 inches (48.3 x 38.1 cm)
Copyright the Wolverton Estate and Glenn Bray
Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York

galleries/2009/08/06/mad-magazine-s-mad-genius/basil-wolverton-3_koxvpj — Ink on paper
19 x 17 1/2 inches (48.3 x 44.5 cm)
Copyright the Wolverton Estate and Glenn Bray
Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York

galleries/2009/08/06/mad-magazine-s-mad-genius/basil-wolverton-4_xez6ei — Graphite on paper
4 3/4 x 3 1/2 inches (12.1 x 8.9 cm)
13 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches (34.3 x 29.2 cm) framed
Copyright the Wolverton Estate and Glenn Bray
Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York

galleries/2009/08/06/mad-magazine-s-mad-genius/basil-wolverton-5_xzdat0 — Graphite on paper
4 1/2 x 4 inches (11.4 x 10.2 cm)
Copyright the Wolverton Estate and Glenn Bray
Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York

galleries/2009/08/06/mad-magazine-s-mad-genius/basil-wolverton-6_ixbjlt — Only man who has lived AFTER having his head pierced by a falling brick. "Nobody can claim I don't have any brains," says Joel, "but there's no way of knowing how long I'll have them.", 1972
Ink on paper
17 x 20 inches (43.2 x 50.8 cm)
Copyright the Wolverton Estate and Glenn Bray
Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York

galleries/2009/08/06/mad-magazine-s-mad-genius/basil-wolverton-7_ubga2i — Ink on paper
17 x 20 inches (43.2 x 50.8 cm)
Copyright the Wolverton Estate and Glenn Bray
Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York

galleries/2009/08/06/mad-magazine-s-mad-genius/basil-wolverton-8_jjj7hw — Color photograph
26 x 21 1/4 inches (66 x 54 cm)
NG1734
Copyright the Wolverton Estate and Glenn Bray
Courtesy Gladstone Gallery