Orson Welles/Othello, 1952

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Orson Welles/Othello, 1952
A quantity of autograph and original material associated with Welles' 1952 production of Othello including: a pen and ink self-portrait caricature of Welles in the leading role, inscribed in his hand ...Set Me Down As One Who Loved, Not Wisely - But Too Well..." -- 11¾x9in. (29.8x22.8cm.), the sketch illustrated on a fragment of paper torn from a café table cloth, additionally annotated by Welles on the reverse with doodles and portrait sketches, the obverse inscribed in pencil in Maurice Bessy's hand dessin d'Orson Welles, overall measurements -- 15¼x16in. (38.7x40.7cm.); eight costume designs for male characters in period/Tudor costume, majority watercolour and graphite on paper, one initialled in pencil OW, largest -- 18x15in. (45.7x38.2cm.); a black and white portrait photograph of Welles in the role of Othello [n.d. but circa 1952] standing before a corresponding scenery design, signed and inscribed by subject in white ink Dearest Maurice: I know you hate Christmas but [Buon Natale] anyway - and all my love always and always Orson -- 11¼x9 3/8in. (28.6x23.8cm.) the reverse ink stamped Archive Maurice Bessy; and two shooting scripts, Othello Part I and Othello Part II, both mimeographed typescript, the former 53pp. labelled on title page ...Prologue -Cyprus- (Second Draft Shooting Script) and Part One -Venice- (Fourth Draft Shooting Script), the latter 128pp. labelled on titled page ...Part Two -Cyprus- (Second Draft Shooting Script) THE FIRST NIGHT DAY THE SECOND NIGHT; an autograph note, possibly a rough draft for a title layout for Othello; and a carbon copy of a typescript memorandum, composed by Welles in April 1952, registering his disaproval of the proposed layout for the poster for Othello 1p.; and related material (a lot)

Literature

KATZ, Ephraim The Macmillan International Film Encyclopedia, London: Harper Collins, 1994, p.1444

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Lot Essay

Welles filmed Othello in Europe without any Hollywood backing. According to Katz despite lacking the ...technical polish of his Hollywood period...in forfeiting the structure and discipline of the American movie capital, Welles seems to have gained greater creative freedom while at the same time achieving in his [European] films a new level of artistic maturity...his 'Othello' emerged as a daring and visually exciting screen production...

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