By Charles Bragg
Located in Soquel, CA
"Sanity Hearing" Satirical Etching
Satirical etching by Charles Bragg (American, 1931-2017). This scene depicts a chaotic courtroom, ostensibly the location of this "Sanity Hearing." A man wearing a suit of armor sits with his hand raised taking an oath of honesty on top of three books labeled "Bible," "Holy Bible," and "Cookbook." The judge sits behind him, holding a fly swatter with a glass tankard of beer in front of him. A man in the bottom right corner reads the Bill of Rights but he holds it upside down. Other guests of the courtroom include multiple kittens, a man gnawing on the bench, and a toucan on a leash.
Numbered as "104/300" in bottom left corner.
Titled "Sanity Hearing" in center edge.
Signed "Charles Bragg" in bottom right corner.
Frame size: 20.32" H x 22.63" W
Image size: 10.27" H x 12.75" W
Charles Bragg (American, 1931-2017) was a painter, sculptor, and illustrator of commentary on human behavior, based out of Los Angeles, California. Bragg often injected his sense of humor and appreciation of satire into his subjects, many of which are cartoonish and seem half human and half animal. He also depicted serious subjects, ones that become poignant commentaries on the human condition.
Bragg was born in St. Louis Missouri in 1931. His parents were vaudeville performers, and he spent most of his young life traveling on tour with them. During his teenage years, he went to New York's High School of Music & Art in Harlem. At 18, he ran away with his high school sweetheart, fellow artist Jennie Tomao...
Category
1980s Other Art Style Charles Bragg
MaterialsPaper, Ink, Etching