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Simply the Best

National Portrait Gallery

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Object Details

Artist
Bart Forbes, born 1939
Sitter
Larry Joe Bird, born 7 Dec 1956
Wayne Gretzky, born 1961
Exhibition Label
In the late winter of 1985, the cover of Time magazine featured this double portrait of basketball star Larry Bird and hockey great Wayne Gretzky. The image ran with the headline "Simply the Best," and in the accompanying article, the magazine described the pair as athletes whose excellence had "transcended the competition." The praise was certainly well deserved. During twenty-one years of professional play, Gretzky recorded more goals, assists, and total points than any hockey player in history and was named to the All-Star team eighteen times. As for Bird, his achievements with the Boston Celtics included three Most Valuable Player awards, appearances in twelve All-Star games, and a points-scored record that placed him among the leading scorers of all time. Through the brilliance of their play, Bird and Gretzky both dominated and defined their respective sports for a generation of fans.
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Time magazine
1985
Object number
NPG.88.TC175
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© Bart Forbes
Type
Painting
Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions
Stretcher: 63.5 x 48.3 x 3.2cm (25 x 19 x 1 1/4")
Frame: 76.2 x 60.6 x 6.7cm (30 x 23 7/8 x 2 5/8")
See more items in
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Exhibition
Champions
On View
NPG, South Gallery 342 Mezzanine
National Portrait Gallery
Topic
Costume\Headgear\Helmet
Equipment\Sports Equipment\Basketball
Equipment\Sports Equipment\Skates
Larry Joe Bird: Male
Larry Joe Bird: Sports and Recreation\Athlete\Basketball
Larry Joe Bird: Sports and Recreation\Coach\Basketball
Wayne Gretzky: Male
Wayne Gretzky: Sports and Recreation\Athlete\Hockey
Portrait
Record ID
npg_NPG.88.TC175
Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)
Usage conditions apply
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm404b285fb-6008-457d-a9ca-d7ece080c760

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IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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