Decorative Coffee Table Book - Sports Art - 1980s Signed "Athletes" by Dr. Joseph Wilder

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EXCEPTIONAL COLLECTOR'S ITEM: The renowned coffee table book "Athletes" featuring the masterful paintings of Dr. Joseph Wilder (1920-2003). This rare … Read more EXCEPTIONAL COLLECTOR'S ITEM: The renowned coffee table book "Athletes" featuring the masterful paintings of Dr. Joseph Wilder (1920-2003). This rare edition is made even more valuable as it's personally signed and inscribed by the artist himself.

The signature and inscription remain crisp and clear. The inscription reads: "To Dan Cortese, I enjoyed working with you and meeting you. Best regards, Joe Wilder, Oct. 14, 1997" - documenting an apparent professional collaboration between the artist and the "MTV Sports" host. The timing of this inscription (1997) coincides with Cortese's tenure at MTV Sports (1992-1997), suggesting a possible connection between Dr. Wilder's athletic artwork and the popular MTV show.

This distinctive volume represents the remarkable legacy of Dr. Joseph Wilder, whose lithographs are housed in prestigious institutions including The Yale Library, Dartmouth College, and The Mount Sinai Medical School. In 1990, the National Library of Medicine held a one-man exhibit of his paintings entitled "The Surgeon at Work," and his 1993 book "Surgical Reflections, Images in Paint and Prose" won a gold medal from The American Writers Association.

What makes this book truly extraordinary is the unique perspective of its creator. Dr. Wilder was not only an accomplished painter but also a distinguished surgeon who served as Chief of Surgery at the Hospital for Joint Diseases and Professor of Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital from the 1960s until the mid-1980s. His intimate knowledge of human anatomy and physiology informed his artistic work. This medical expertise allowed him to capture the athletic form with remarkable precision and authenticity, revealing both the physical mechanics and emotional intensity of athletes in motion.

As President George Bush once stated, Joe Wilder "was a Renaissance Man." His impressive credentials include graduating from Dartmouth College in 1942 and receiving his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1945. Beyond his medical accomplishments, he was one of only two doctors in history inducted into The Lacrosse Hall of Fame and was selected as Man of the Year at Yankee Stadium.

Details:
- Complete with original dust jacket in protective cover
- Hardcover, large format
- Signed and personally inscribed by Dr. Joseph Wilder to 90s TV personality Dan Cortese (MTV Sports, Seinfeld)
- Excellent condition
- A magnificent centerpiece for art collectors, medical professionals, sports enthusiasts, or anyone who appreciates the intersection of science and art

This signed edition represents a rare opportunity to own a piece of work that beautifully bridges the worlds of sports, medicine, and fine art. Dr. Wilder's paintings demonstrate an unparalleled understanding of the human body in action, informed by his surgical expertise and expressed through his artistic vision. See less