Je Suis Malikoko. ca. 1919.

Artist: DHARMSize: 30 1/8 x 46 1/4 in./76.5 x 117.5 cmCondition: B+/ Slight tears and stains at folds and edges.Printer: Imp. J. Minot, ParisReference: Key Words: Art Nouveau; Black Images; TheatreJe Suis Malikoko. ca. 1919.By the beginning of the 20th century, the African King stereotype was a common trope of the theatre and advertising. He appeared with "a top hat in guise of a crown, a chic cane for a scepter, monocle, cigarette holder, classy! But… he is of course naked, or nearly, under a undersized dinner jacket... Add a few military flourishes borrowed from Toussaint-Louverture’s representations, just to recall his tyrannical pretensions and his love of war, and you could not get more ridiculous in the eyes of the French, champions of elegance. A black man who thought himself a man of the world!" (Sylvie Chalaye, From Dangerous Native to Amicable Cannibal). That image inspired André Mouëzy-Éon to write his play Malikoko, le Roi Nègre (Malikoko, the Black King), which starred a cannibal king with an appetite for white people. Audiences loved Malikoko and found him irresistibly funny; children were especially enthralled, and Malikoko became something of a cultural icon. This design likely served as satirical amusement for Malikoko's fans.Price: $1560(starting bid + 20% buyer’s premium)Want this item?Place an online bid, or CALL US NOW for this special price212-787-4000Until March 3 only!