Drawing

Author	Georges Méliès
Title	"Autocaricature"
Technique	Ink on paper
Place	France
Date	circa 1929
Register	3222

The autocaricature of Georges Mélies, the great filmmaker of early cinema, a pioneer of fantasy cinema and cinematic tricks, probably made this drawing when he worked at the candy shop and toy shop at the Montparnasse station in Paris, of which his second wife, Jehanne d'Alcy, was the manager. Méliès, ruined and unable to produce any more films, had to work in this business from 1925 until he retired in 1932. However, he never gave up his fondness for painting, drawing and caricature. The drawings he made during this time were made in ink, often on paper recovered from the candy boxes in his store, and used to carry inscriptions or small texts. In this drawing specifically, the text says: “Comment? Pas frais ces poissons là? péc air? Voilà quinze jours qu'ils sont dans la glace!!!” (What? Are these fish not fresh? poorly ventilated? They've been on ice for a fortnight!!!)

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