Ganson, Lewis. Oil Painting of Magician Dai Vernon. Circa 1975 oil on canvas portrait of ?The Professor,? executed by the author responsible for Vernon?s most famous work, The Dai Vernon Book of Magic, and modeled on the portrait used on the dust jacket of the first edition of the book. Signed by Ganson. 20 ? x 16 ??. Framed. Lewis Ganson was as responsible ? if not more so ? for the creation and permanence of the Dai Vernon legend as anyone. His work chronicling Vernon?s magic in numerous now-classic books began in the 1950s and helped cement The Professor?s reputation as the foremost thinker on and exponent of pure sleight-of-hand of his generation. The same can be said of his writing ? under Vernon?s guidance ? on the magic of Max Malini and Nate Leipzig.