CHARLES SAMUEL ADDAMS (American, 1912-1988). Sad Movie, New Yorker magazine cartoon illustration, March 23, 1946. Waterc...

Description

CHARLES SAMUEL ADDAMS (American, 1912-1988)
Sad Movie, New Yorker magazine cartoon illustration, March 23, 1946
Watercolor and ink with white wash on board
8.25 x 9.25 in.
Signed lower right

This beautiful watercolor represents one of the most memorable Addams Family originals to ever come onto the market. Addams' classic period of the 1940s saw the first appearance of many of his most famous cartoons featuring his hugely popular cast of characters, including Uncle Fester, the star of this uncaptioned gem. This iconically definitive example of the master's mordant wit has been reprinted numerous times, notably in Addams' second book collection, Addams and Evil (Simon and Schuster, 1947) and recently as the cover for Iain Topliss' The Comic Worlds of Peter Arno, William Steig, Charles Addams and Saul Steinberg (The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005). As author Topliss describes it: "Addams insisted that the captionless cartoon was the highest example of the comic art genre, and this is a brilliantly composed and maliciously conceived example" This masterpiece is the most important example by Addams we've ever offered and one of the greatest, most historic images he ever created.

More information about Addams, Charles. See also: Charles Addams, Chas Addams, Addams, Chas Artist.



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