(Winsor McCay, 1914) Original production drawing featuring Gertie and Winsor McCay himself from Gertie the Dinosaur, showing Gertie placing her creator on her back as the film nears its end. Accomplished in ink on 8.5 x 7 rice paper and affixed to a slightly larger mount. A few edge chips and tears (not affecting the image) and show-through from adhesive at corners and borders, otherwise fine condition. McCay drew himself into the finale following a title slide reading, ‘Gertie will now show that she isn’t afraid of me and take me for a ride.’ He walks onto the screen and cracks his whip, at which Gertie obediently places him on her back. They walk off camera just after the moment depicted here, with McCay bowing dramatically as the film comes to its conclusion. McCay’s work was not only pioneering—he innovated techniques such as using keyframes, registration marks, and tracing paper—but it also demonstrated the viability of his craft. Gertie became the first animated film to see commercial success, encouraging studios to further pursue animation during its infancy. A fantastic example from this landmark film.
