James Stevenson: Flush Royals

"It's good to be the king."

—Mel Brooks

History of the World, Part 1 (1981)

And queen, I might add. New Yorker cartoonist James Stevenson (1929-2017) demonstrates that there might be a better word to describe royals than flush:

"Don't you love being upscale?"
James Stevenson
Original art
The New Yorker, July 28, 1986, p. 35

Stevenson's caption, like Brooks's above quotation, relies on understatement for its comic effect. It looks to have been written with a felt tip pen. Unlike the rest of the cartoon, it is quite faded although still legible. The original art was sold at auction two weeks ago, in Norwalk. 

The faded caption

The king and queen stand out. The perspective of the composition makes them the two largest figures. The contrasting shading distinguishes them from all the others, and from each other. The perspective also creates a potential problem: we could be looking at the royals from behind. Stevenson solves this by having the king, who is speaking, turn toward the queen—and also toward our vantage point. Thus we get to see his face in three-quarter view.

Detail of the royal couple

The attendants are drawn loosely and indistinctly. There is even a sameness to their shading.

Detail of the attendants

Detail of the minstrels' gallery

Detail of the rafters

James Stevenson's signature

Copyright notice

Verso

James Stevenson

Westport Auction listing accessed October 26, 2022

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/james-stevenson-1929-2017-original-new-yorker-75-c-422448ebeb?objectID=174756141&algIndex=upcoming_lots_prod&queryID=d67e9e7db94dc45b6792afa12092de92

Sold!

"Don't you love being upscale?"
James Stevenson
Original art
The New Yorker, July 28, 1986, p. 35

Cartoons by Bob Mankoff and James Stevenson

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1986-07-28/flipbook/034/

Note:  This blog thrives on original art. I'd like to receive images of original work by James Stevenson for future posts.

Dots all, folks!

04135

Alan Johnson's Copy of Animals Animals Animals

Choreographer Alan Johnson did not attend the 1979 book signing for Animals Animals Animals: A Collection of Great Animal Cartoons, but a friend of his did and came away with something quite special. The book, which was intended for Mr. Johnson and later inscribed to him, is signed by three cartoonists who also furnished three original cartoons which share the theme of—wait for it—dancing hippopotamuses!

Cartoonist Marty Murphy gives us a chorus line of hippos. (For whatever it's worth, "A Chorus Line" had opened on Broadway in 1975 and was still a major hit in 1979.) Don Dougherty illustrates a hippo's dance audition marred by a not wholly unpredictable mishap.

But it is cartoonist Sergio Aragonés of Mad Magazine fame who delivers the most dazzle with the least seeming effort. His drawing of a dance audition obviously makes reference to the "Dance of the Hours" sequence from Walt Disney's "Fantasia" (1940). The film had been re-released to theaters in 1977 but its individual sequences were well-known anyway.

Alan Johnson had choreographed stage productions of "West Side Story" (after Jerome Robbins) and dance scenes from the Mel Brooks film comedies "The Producers," "Blazing Saddles," and "Young Frankenstein." He passed away on July 7 of this year.

George Booth, Gahan Wilson, and Ron Wolin, eds.
For the Cartoonists Guild
Animals Animals Animals:
A Collection of Great Animal Cartoons
New York:  Harper & Row, 1979

Original drawings by Marty Murphy, Sergio Aragonés, and Don Dougherty

"I know she's out of step...You want to tell her?"
Marty Murphy

"Oh no!
Sergio Aragonés
Inscribed "MAD-ly/Aragonés
***
"Next..."
Don Dougherty
Inscribed "Happy Holidays/Don Dougherty/'79"

AbeBooks Listing Retrieved October 9, 2018

https://www.abebooks.com/Animals-Collection-Great-Animal-Cartoons-Signed/30089716422/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=readmore

From "The Dance of the Hours"

Amilcare Ponchielli

Walt Disney's "Fantasia" (1940)

"Springtime for Hitler"

Choreographed by Alan Johnson

"The Producers" (1967)

Written and Directed by Mel Brooks

Note:  This is the very first copy of Animals Animals Animals to appear on Attempted Bloggery. The book, frankly, is one I've never seen. There must be other interesting copies out there from this signing and perhaps from others. I'd love to see images of some of them, especially any with original drawings or inscriptions, and to hear from anyone who may have attended such a signing.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Sergio Aragonés

George Booth

Mel Brooks

Walt Disney

Gahan Wilson

Signed Books with Original Drawings

Attempted Bloggery's Graceful Index

02707

Edward Koren: Princely Perk

"It's good to be the king."

—Mel Brooks

History of the World, Part 1 (1981)

Cartoonist Edward Koren shows us just one of the perks of being royal. This original New Yorker art from a decade ago was sold on eBay earlier this year.

"I just love hanging out in my favorite chair."
Edward Koren
Original art
The New Yorker, November 17, 2008, page 53

Luise Ross Gallery label

Edward Koren's signature

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail

Edward Koren
eBay Listing Ended March 8, 2018

https://www.ebay.com/itm/EDWARD-B-KOREN-Signed-Original-New-Yorker-Cartoon-24-034-x21-034-2012-/273086811504?hash=item3f953e0d70%3Ag%3Aq4MAAOSwmRBalK35&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Edward Koren
eBay Item Description

Edward Koren
eBay Bid History
One bid at the auction's close

"I just love hanging out in my favorite chair."
Edward Koren
The New Yorker, November 17, 2008, page 53

"I just love hanging out in my favorite chair."
Edward Koren
Original art
The New Yorker, November 17, 2008, page 53

Drawing by Edward Koren

http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2008-11-17#folio=052

02605

Lee Lorenz: The Post-Super Bowl Syndrome

Gentlemen, have you noticed that we feel a certain emptiness in our lives now that the football season has ended? Ladies, does a character in Lee Lorenz's original cartoon art have the guys all figured out? Let's all agree on one thing. If all else fails, March Madness is coming.

Now why does a gag by a major New Yorker cartoonist on a popular sports subject sell for so shockingly little? It may be because not enough people appreciate the artistry and creativity that goes into making a really good cartoon. As fans of the genre, what should be our responses to this situation? There are at least two very different answers, but one needn't find them contradictory. One is to actively publicize many examples of great cartoon art in the hopes of amusing and educating the public. People need to see that there are better things to hang on their walls than, say, prints of dogs playing cards. The other response is to take advantage of inexplicably low prices by adding a few really fine pieces of original comic art to our own collections when the opportunity arises. Just look at what $75 bought:

"I call it the post-Super Bowl syndrome. I think it has
something to do with their hormones."
Lee Lorenz, original cartoon art

"I call it the post-Super Bowl syndrome. I think it has something to do with their hormones."
Lee Lorenz, original cartoon art

Matte inscribed "May the 'Spaceball' Season last all year long. Best of luck! Lee Lorenz"
"Spaceballs," a movie by Mel Brooks, was released in 1987.

Character detail

eBay Listing Ended January 2, 2017

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-NEW-YORKER-Cartoonist-LEE-LORENZ-034-Superbowl-034-Gag-Cartoon-/311768007264?hash=item4896d24260%3Ag%3AxUYAAOSwcUBYTLHF&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

eBay Item Description

eBay Bid History
One bidder can't believe his luck, so he bids again just to make sure.

So what should we make of the following excerpt from the Indiana Jewish Post & Opinion for May 27, 1987? It's from an article entitled "The Riddle of the Sphinx" by Arlene G. Peck on the subject of men's general aversion to conversation and intimacy. The end of the paragraph has a remarkable similarity to Mr. Lorenz's caption. Is this just a coincidence? Did someone send the cartoonist a clipping of the article? The movie "Spaceballs" also came out in 1987. I'm going to go out on a limb here and date this cartoon circa 1987.

https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=JPOST19870527-01.1.19

"I call it the post-Super Bowl syndrome. I think it has something to do with their hormones."
Lee Lorenz, original cartoon art

Note:  I'm in the information business. If you know more about this cartoon, whether it was published and where, to whom it's dedicated, and how it came to have a caption reminiscent of an obscure article from the Indiana Jewish Post & Opinion, this is the place to reveal all. Don't bother with WikiLeaks; they don't care about the important things.

So, if you've already been taking my advice and surrounding yourself with brilliant original cartoon art by Lee Lorenz or other New Yorker artists, you can also take my other bit of advice and help me publicize that art to a planet that's sense of humor is seriously threatened. Don't believe those politicians who deny the decline of humor. Send photos or scans and help me make the world a funnier place.

Attempted Bloggery's quick links:

Lee Lorenz

Original Cartoon Art

Football

Mel Brooks

Attempted Bloggery's Sporting Index

May the Schwartz be with you.

02098