William S. Burroughs - Tell
Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.
Lead on Paper
William S. Burroughs is probably best known for his amazing literary genius as displayed in his most famous book, Naked Lunch - as well as a herald and founding member of the Beat Generation along with Alan Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. Though Burroughs works have not celebrated the same success as Kerouac's works has he definitely carved out a comfortable niche amongst disillusioned drug addicts as well as collegiate and intellectual circuits alike. Early in his career Burroughs accidentally shot his wife in the head while performing a re-enactment of the William Tell routine as they called it, where Burroughs would shoot a cup off of his wife's head. He missed and she was killed in the middle of a crowded bar. Though he never served time for the crime as it was ruled accidental it haunted him for the rest of his life. Knowing this the symbolism of this picture should then not be missed...
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