Deceased Artwork

[cutiebunny]

I was clicking through my backlog today, and I came across a couple of sketches from Hiroshi Osaka, a co-founder of Studio BONES and a prolithic animation director in the late 1980s-early 2000s. Osaka died of cancer in 2007, and it struck me that, although he is no longer alive, I have a sample of his artwork that is probably just as vivid as it was when it was drawn a couple of years prior to his death. It reminded me of a Spanish novel I read in college, Morel's Invention, a story about a machine that records people to incorporate in an RPG-like film while the radiation from the machine slowly kills them. Despite the fact that almost everyone in the story is deceased, they are just as lively and animated as they were when the machine recorded them.

Obviously, as the years pass, there will be more people that own artwork drawn by now dead people. But for those of you who are already in this position, how does it make you feel to know that own something that someone who is no longer around worked on, or even drew for you, personally? Does it creep you out or is it a humbling experience?

[JWR]

In my case items done by people no longer with us are things that help keep their memories alive.
When I see them I can recall the person and appreciate the talent they possessed. It is the theme of the quote by Harlan Ellison I use as my signature.

This one portfolio I am lucky enough to have obtained more than 2/3rd of the artists that signed it have passed on.
http://ryan.rubberslug.com/gallery/mast ... esID=31073

[sensei]

This topic reminds me a little of Portrait of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde's novel about a man who remains supernaturally young and handsome, while the portrait he's had painted and keeps in a secret room gradually grows more and more haggard from his corrupt lifestyle.

I have a few sketches by animators who are now departed, notably my layouts by Yasuji Mori (1925-92), character designer for Grimm Masterpiece Theatre. I'd guess it does not in itself disturb me, any more than my family photographs of relatives who are no longer with us. But it does make me all the more anxious to see that the art is carefully conserved so that these creations can be appreciated by the next generation. The materials from which they're made make this more of a challenge than usual.

[kizu]

Well I think it makes me feel lucky to still have something from an artist that's already deceased. It does make me feel at times, sad, that ultimately that's all there ever will be from someone I admire. But then again I remember, is great to have -something-.

[Keropi]

Gee, I just don't know who drew my sketches. The only one I know of is the tiny sketch of Robin that Bob Kane drew.

I've collected a lot of deceased signer autographs though. I miss those actors.