First Fifty Years

First Fifty Years
Merv Corning

Artist Biography
Acquisition Number: 2017.34
Medium: Gouache on paper
Size: 18 ½” x 15 ½”
Date: 1969
Credit: Gift from Tula Corning In loving memory of Merv Corning

This trompe l’oeil painting was created to celebrate the first 50 years of the pro game and was published in NFL’s First Fifty Years as well as a promotional insert in Life Magazine. All of the items depicted were owned by Corning, including the championship ticket stub from the first AFC-NFC Super Bowl game played in Los Angeles, which Corning remembered wasn’t even close to a sell out game, a stark contrast to present day.