France...

Burnt out after a dozen years of fierce productivity across several mediums Searle left everything behind in London and fled to Paris. Journalist and author Martin Amis caught up with him in the French capital for this profile of the artist in the Telegraph magazine on 1978. Ronald was by then settled in the south of France with his second wife Monica.

 The article states Searle earned 25,000 pounds annually throughout the fifties (equivalent to 800,000 today) and bought 'a mansion' which must mean the house at 32A Newton Road. Read more on Searle's modern home studio here

Here he is photographed for Marseille magazine in 1963. Again the article displays a preoccupation with the sum of money he commands for a drawing.

Read my original Marseille post here

Punch part 2: French Theatre

Here's a rare edition for Searle fans. 'Le Theatre a Paris' is a limited edition catalogue published by Galerie Martine Gossieaux in Paris. It's release coincided with an exhibition in 2000 of caricatures of Parisian stage actors made between 1954 & 1962.



The drawings were originally published in British satirical journal Punch as illustrations for the regular Theatrical review column.





Madame Gossieaux tracked down all the contemporary posters for each show & are reproduced opposite the relevant Searle drawing.






The book was published in a limited print run of only 500 copies. It's beautifully produced on thick, fine quality paper but at 90 euros is perhaps only for Searle completists. It's available from Galerie Martine Gossieaux. The gallery specializes in exhibitions of drawings & represents some of the best French dessinateurs including Sempé & André François.