Sunday, March 16, 2014

Barbara Shermund's Scathing Letter

In the 1950's and for decades before and afterward, color cartoons were simply never published in the New Yorker. Nevertheless, on eBay it is tempting for sellers to describe any original cartoon art by an artist once associated with the magazine as a New Yorker cartoon, even if the original is in color and looks nothing like a New Yorker cartoon. For example, this cartoon by Barbara Shermund is not in the New Yorker's cartoon database and certainly doesn't resemble a New Yorker cartoon of the period stylistically or thematically. Shermund's last New Yorker art was published in 1944 and much of her later work appeared in Esquire and Pictorial Review. This is one of three original cartoons that were sold with a Buy It Now price of $240 each, apparently to the artist's niece.

"I wish I'd shown you the scathing letter
I wrote him--and tore up."
Barbara Shermund
Framed original art
Pictorial Review[?], February 1957

"I wish I'd shown you the scathing letter
I wrote him--and tore up."
Barbara Shermund
Framed original art
Pictorial Review[?], February 1957

Barbara Shermund
eBay Listing Ended February 27, 2014
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Barbara-Shermund-Original-New-Yorker-Cartoon-/161233224035?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item258a3fc163&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Barbara Shermund
eBay Item Description





January 12, 2019 Update:  This cartoon does not appear to be in Esquire's  online archive, so I am provisionally reassigning it in the above captions to Pictorial Review. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who can document its publication history.


Note:  Keeping my eyes on the calendar, posts about Spring Break may be found here and posts about Purim may be seen here.

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