Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, 1924–2005, BritishPublished by Editions Alecto Ltd.
Title:
Wittgenstein at the Cinema Admires Betty Gable
Date:
1965
Materials & Techniques:
Screen print on H.P. J. Green 133 lbs. white wove paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 38 × 26 inches (96.5 × 66 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Inscribed 'Eduardo Paolozzi 1965' and '36/65'; image includes printed words: 'Wittgenstein was always exhausted by his lectures. He was | also revolted by them. He felt disgusted with what he had said | and with himself. Often he would rush of to a cinema imme- | diately after the class ended. As the members of the class began | to move their chairs out of the room he might look imploringly | at a friend and say in a low tone, 'Could you go to a flick?' On | the way to the cinema Wittgenstein would buy a bun or cold | pork pie and munch it while he watched the film. He insisted | on sitting in the very first row of seats, so that the screen would | occupy his entire field of vision, and his mind would be | turned away from the thoughts of the lecture and his feelings | of revulsion. Once he whispered to me 'This is like a shower | bath!' His observation of the film was not relaxed or detached. | He leaned tensely forward in his seat and rarely took his eyes | off the screen. He hardly ever uttered comments on the episodes | of the film and did not like his companion to do so. He wished | to become totally absorbed in the film no matter how trivial or | artificial it was, in order to free his mind temporarily from the | philosophical | thoughts that tortured and exhausted him. He | liked American films and detested English ones. He was in- | clined to think that there could not be a decent English film. | This was connected with a great distaste he had for English | culture and mental habits in general. He was fond of the film | stars Carmen Miranda and Betty Hutton. Before he came to | visit me in America he demanded in jest that I should introduce | him to Miss Hutton. | MARCH 1965'
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund
Copyright Status:
Under Copyright
Accession Number:
B1995.3.14
Classification:
Prints
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Currently On View:
Not on view
Exhibition History:
Just what was it that made British Pop so different, so appealing? (Yale Center for British Art, 2004-01-26 - 2004-05-09)Pop Art : US / UK Connections 1956-66 (The Menil Collection, 2001-01-26 - 2001-05-13)