Condition: Distressed
Whatman cold press illustration board is folded in half. The top layer of paper on which the illustration is done is intact but has deep creases. Except for the fold/crease, the other parts of the work are in excellent condition.

To get the punch line of this Charles Addams cartoon, you need to know the meaning of a Satyr or Pan.
Satyr: Part man and part beast. - A male nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exaggerated permanent erection. Early artistic representations sometimes included horse-like legs; Satyrs were characterized by their vulgar, indecent ribaldry and were rowdy lovers of wine, music, dancing, and women. They inhabited remote locales, such as woodlands and mountains; they often attempted to seduce or rape nymphs and mortal women alike.
In prudish 1950s America, where popular TV programs showed husband and wife sleeping in separate beds, Addams is making a bold statement about censorship and the moral climate of the time. A proper and perfectly pressed Park Ranger cleans out an undesirable perverted vagrant from pristine woodlands. With startled expressions, a vulnerable family of correct women witnesses the event as they are about to have a picnic. The Satyr grasps his Pipes of Pan just over his crouch region. Phallic symbols populate the background. This is one a the rare instances where Addams addresses the issue of sex. The Ranger is a dead ringer as a self-portrait of Addams.
Original illustration for a cartoon, showing a uniformed ranger leading away a manacled satyr in front of a startled picnic party. Ink and grisaille wash on Whatman cold press illustration board, signed "Chas Addams" at lower left. 16 7/8 x 13 3/4 inches (43 x 35 cm) on sheet 19 1/2 x 15 1/8 inches. The sheet has a hard central fold that has cracked the backing of the illustration board, although the surface paper with the drawing is merely creased. The corners are a bit bumped.
This drawing first appeared on page 76 of the June 1958 issue of Holiday magazine. It was subsequently published on page 28 of Black Maria an Addams compilation book published by Simon & Schuster in 1960. We are indebted to H. Kevin Miserocchi of the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation for this information.
Please note: This drawing was initially not identified as to the location of first publication. As now stated, it appeared on page 76 of the June 1958 issue of Holiday magazine. It was subsequently published on page 28 of Black Maria, an Addams compilation book published by Simon & Schuster in 1960.
Unframed, Signed lower left