Sir Max Beerbohm 1872-1956 British School Pen and ink drawing on blue grey paper. A portrait of George Bernard Shaw. Signed to lower edge Max with the sitters signature autograph to lower right. 30.4 by 44.6 cms.
Sir Henry Maximilian Beerbohm was an English essayist, parodist and caricaturist under the signature "Max". He first became known in the 1890s as a dandy and humorist. In 1898 he succeeded Shaw as drama critic for "The Saturday Review" a position he held until 1910, when he relocated to Rapallo, Italy. In his later years he was popular for his occasional radio broadcasts. Among his best known works is his only novel, "Zuleika Dobson", published in 1911. His caricatures, drawn usually in pen and ink are in many public collections. Beerbohm caricatured his friend George Bernard Shaw on numerous occasions. Another version of this drawing was sold by Christies London 18/03/1971.