John Lennon’s Drawings To Be Auctioned

When you hear the name John Lennon, you probably hear “Imagine” playing in your head. The images his name calls to mind have more to do with making music and crossing streets in an iconic fashion than any other art form. And yet, John Lennon was an artist of a different kind as well, and now one collection of his doodles and nonsense poetry is set to be auctioned off.

The largest private collection of poems and doodles by Lennon – which appeared in his books In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works – will be auctioned off as 89 separate lots in New York on June 4. It is estimated that they will sell for a total of $800,000 (£500,000, if you’re a UK Beatles fan). If you are dying to see Lennon’s psychedelic scribbles but don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend, fear not! The collection, titled “You Might Well Arsk,” will be on display in London, Austin, and New York before the auction.

The collection belonged to Tom Maschler, who published Lennon’s books in 1964 and ’65. Maschler laments that Lennon’s visual art has always been underrated, and hopes that the gallery shows and auction and the auction will result in a greater balance of fans’ appreciation of Lennon’s varied artistic talents.

Critics are comparing his work to that of Lewis Carroll, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Robert Barrett Browning, and Robert Lewis Stevenson. Upon viewing them, I personally am reminded of my favorite poet (and underrated songwriter), Shel Silverstein. The simple line drawings are whimsical and sometimes even silly, providing insight into the private life of the beloved musician.

An interesting side note about the collection is that many of the pieces were done on the back of hotel stationary. Can you picture John Lennon, at the height of Beatlemania, sitting cross-legged on the bed with a pencil poised over a notepad? The next time you’re on a trip, pack a pencil and take after John Lennon. You can start your own collection and squirrel it away until you’re famous, or leave your art behind for the next guest to discover. And if you were to play “Imagine” in the background while you work, I’m sure it would make John Lennon proud.