FEHER, Joseph (1908-1987). Hawaii / United Air Lines. Circa 1950s. A beautiful hula dancer stands larger than life on one of the Hawaiian islands, surrounded by tropical fish and plants, Hawaiian men and women on surfboards and outriggers, and a United Boeing Stratocruiser flies overhead.

Linen backed. 40 x 24 ¾”. 

Feher was born in Hungary and trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest and the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. He emigrated to the United States after World War I, settling in Chicago and continuing his schooling at the Art Institute of Chicago. He designed a number of posters for United Airlines and Dole Pineapples. In 1946, Feher was invited to Hawaii by United on the company’s inaugural trip. He created 10 watercolors for United on that trip which were published as Christmas gifts to the airline’s executives. During this trip, he visited the Honolulu Academy of Arts, and would later join the faculty after permanently moving to Hawaii.