Artist (1891-1931) best known for his cartoons and caricatures of actors and other celebrities. Though his work was heavily in demand through the 1920s and is often considered to epitomize the era, his personal life was troubled by mental illness, and he was nearly forgotten soon after his suicide, shortly before his fortieth birthday. A collection of four letters, all signed “Ralph,” consisting of three TLSs, including one multi-page letter, and a postcard. The only legible date is on a TLS, dated September 10. All of the letters are addressed to Roland Young. Most of the letters are written while working and living in France, with the postcard telling of a trip to Spain. One letter mentions Charlie Chaplin, and reads, in part: “Charlie, like me, was having his change of life-his Crisis of Forty Years. I went out to be consoled, and found him in a worse state than I was in. I ended by holding his hand instead of his holding mine,” and continues on to share some shameful exploits: “I’m afraid I made the season’s prize ass of myself. The great love that God sent me, profiting by the scandal I managed to kick up, went to bye-bye with every able-bodied male in France and Switzerland with envoys from Italy and South America during my absence-only these foreigners haven’t our respect for womanhood and they came to see me, passing along in an orderly line, to recount their experiences with the lady, the old familiar line, the one I fell for, holding, God damn it, their sides and howling with laughter! You can imagine how foolish I felt.” In very good condition, with creasing, toning and some scattered soiling, and tears and folds along the edges of the letter dated September 10. RRAuction COA.
