Tuesday, October 7, 2014

The Art of the New Yorker: A 60 Year Retrospective

A series of four regional print advertisements found on eBay recalls the exhibition "The Art of The New Yorker:  A 60 Year Retrospective." The show first opened at the New York Public Library on November 18, 1986 and ran through January 31, 1987. The retrospective eventually went on to a total of ten cities including London and Toronto, eventually concluding in San Francisco in 1988. Each subsequent ad shows additional cities added to the show's itinerary. The art exhibit celebrated the first sixty years of the New Yorker which was founded in 1925. It sounds like a very considerable time until one realizes that next year the magazine will turn ninety.

Charles Addams, "We're On Our Way To The New Yorker Art Show," 1986
The Art of The New Yorker
A 60 Year Retrospective

November 18th, 1986 through January 31st, 1987
The New York Public Library


Charles Addams, "We're On Our Way To The New Yorker Art Show"
The Art of The New Yorker
A 60 Year Retrospective
February 20th through April 26th, 1987
Detroit Institute of Arts



Charles Addams, "We're On Our Way To The New Yorker Art Show"
The Art of The New Yorker
A 60 Year Retrospective
May 21st through July 10th, 1987
The Boston Athenæum


Charles Addams, "We're On Our Way To The New Yorker Art Show"
The Art of The New Yorker
A 60 Year Retrospective

September 17 - November 20, 1988
The Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco


The Addams Family, of course, originated in the pages of the New Yorker in a series of cartoons by Charles Addams, so it is natural for Mr. Addams to feature them here in his illustration for "The Art of The New Yorker." Perhaps you're wondering what's wrapped up in that tree in the Addams illustration? I thought you'd never ask.

The tree refers to a specific 1948 cartoon by Mr. Addams.
Charles Addams, "You know, sometimes I can't help wondering if Mr. Lawrence really did go to South America."
Original artwork, New Yorker, June 26, 1948, page 23

Charles Addams. Monster Rally (New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1950), page 49, with the caption "You know, sometimes I can't help wondering if Mr. Lawrence really did go to Chicago."
The World of Charles Addams,
 (New York:  Alfred A. Knopf, 1991), page 83 with the Chicago caption



Charles Addams, "You know, sometimes I can't help wondering if Mr. Lawrence really did go to South America."
The New Yorker, 
June 26, 1948, page 23

Charles Addams, "You know, sometimes I can't help wondering if Mr. Lawrence really did go to South America."
The New Yorker,
June 26, 1948, page 23


Note:  You may want to see my additional ghoulish blog posts about Charles Addams.

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