Presentation Photograph Portrait of Orson Welles in His Film Role As Othello
signed
1951 · Venice, Italy
by WELLES, ORSON
Venice, Italy, 1951. A striking signed black and white photograph of Orson Welles, dramatically posed in front of a movie set backdrop for his 1952 movie classic, "Othello". The portrait oos f Welles in “Othello” makeup and costume standing before a painted theatrical backdrop showing Venice which has has painted on it in large letters above Welles’s head “OTHELLO - BUON NATALE.” Welles had this special photograph taken and signed and inscribed a small number of prints to close friends and associates and sent then from Venice at Christmas as he had been long away from America for several years working in Europe on Othello and other films. This photograph is inscribed and signed in white ink to Hollywood columnist Louella Parsons, “Dearest Lou, Love from Orson.” Welles had a long relationship with the powerful gossip columnist. When he first arrived in Hollywood, Parsons and Welles got on very well, with her writing positive press about him. When Welles turned to creating Citizen Kane and word was leaking out that it had something to do with her boss, William Randolph Hearst, she found herself in the position of having to take her boss’s side. However, a decade later with all the scandal of Citizen Kane in the past, Welles felt warmly enough towards each other to send her this Christmas gift. 9 by 12 inches. With traces of mounting on the verso, very good. (Inventory #: 15070J)