A Dog's Life (Les Films Célèbres, 1918). Very Fine on Linen. French Grande (46.75" X 62.5"). Raoul Artez Artwork.. ...

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A Dog's Life (Les Films Célèbres, 1918). Very Fine on Linen. French Grande (46.75" X 62.5"). Raoul Artez Artwork.
After he signed with First National, Charlie Chaplin finally had complete creative control over his pictures for the first time. In this, the first of an intended eight pictures under a new contract, Chaplin changes the direction of his Tramp character from a source of comic mischief into a more of a sad, but kind-hearted clown. As his film's grew longer and more complex, A Dog's Life would see Chaplin infusing his work with themes of poverty and city life. In this film the Tramp bonds with a dog over similar circumstances of street living, and find small touches of pathos in-between the comic moments, with love for both his dog and his attraction to a beautiful bar singer. All of these elements made up a more sophisticated picture than his earlier film's that saw Chaplin begin to develop as a filmmaker. Described by some critics as "cinema's first total work of art," A Dog's Life would also lay the groundwork for Chaplin's first full-length picture, The Kid. Offered for the first time in eight years from Heritage what may be the only surviving example of this French grande for A Dog's Life, which features Raoul Artez's loving rendition of the classic U.S. one sheet artwork of Chaplin's "Tramp" and the titular canine sitting on a stoop. Although the poster is toned, it stands in otherwise terrific condition for being over a century old; light touch-up was needed only to some creases in the "E" of Une in the title, as linen backing remedied light fold wear with minute separations and tiny crossfold chips.


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