113. Norman MAILER (American, 1923 - 1997) Self-portrait. black crayon on a folded sheet of paper
5 12 x 4 1/4 inches (140 x 110 mm)
initialed
Britton, p. 133
Norman Mailer, novelist and co-founder of The Village Voice, won both the Pulitzer Prize (The Executioner's Song, 1980) and the National Book Award (The Armies of the Night: History as a Novel, The Novel as History, 1969).
"It was the mid-sixties, it was below ground in The Village Vanguard, and, as Old Blue Eyes would say, 'It's - a - quarter - to - three - & - there's - no - one - in - this - place - except - you - & - me' - I was behind the bar, Norman was on a stool, the group had been long gone, and Norman wouldn't go home. He kept asking, 'What do you want from me, Kid?' and I kept saying, 'I want to lock up, go home, get some sleep'. And he'd repeat, 'What do you want from me, Kid?'. I kept feeding him drinks as I did all the necessaries that had to be done before closing, and when there was nothing left to be done but turn out the lights and lock the door, I said, 'Norman, you really have to go'. But again, he insisted on another round, and another round of 'What do you want', etc. What was I to do? This was the writer who wrote the amazing Advertisements for Myself, a book that to this day still excites my sensibilities. This was, then, Norman Mailer. So, finally, and to this day I have no idea why I said, 'Norman, here, on this piece of paper, do a self-portrait for me, drink your drink, and let's call it a night'. And that initial drawing, done after hours at the bar of the fabled Vanguard, this self-portrait done by Mailer, which fascinated me then and fascinates me still - began all this madness". -- Burt Britton
est. $2000 – $3000