Among of the many projects of illustrator and puppeteer Tony Sarg was to create crowd scenes of New York. These well-known images were collected in a 1926 book. In the following year, he conceived the idea of placing large balloons featuring cartoon characters in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, then in its fourth year. The balloons were a popular success and the rest, as they say, is history.
He still could compose a good crowd scene. An original illustration by Sarg no doubt created for the Roberts House inn dates approximately from the following year, 1928. Here he has rendered a bustling aerial view of a small town intersection with the Roberts House featured prominently at the top center. Judging from the heights of the surrounding two-story buildings he has shown us, he may very well have had to imagine this view from such an elevated vantage point.
Typically, when a piece like this comes along it makes a brief public appearance at auction before disappearing into a private collection for years. This particular piece, though, is on public display, albeit in an unlikely venue. You can see it in New York at the Society of Illustrators. It's hanging in the men's room.
Note: There are, to be sure, millions of blogs out there, but how many of them are classy enough to drag you into the men's room of the Society of Illustrators? Only one, I'll bet. Now is there anyone willing to show me what's on the wall of the ladies' room?
My Thanksgiving blog posts cover the Macy's Parade, Tony Sarg, and some persistent local turkeys that I can't seem to dodge. I've put together a festive assortment of these posts over the years and personally I never tire of them. I don't see why you should.
The Charlie Brown Balloon at MoCCA Fest 2014
The 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation
The 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation
The 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 2005 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Maurice Sendak's Wild Thing Balloon Design
Keith Haring's Figure with Heart Balloon
Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet
Various Wild Turkeys
Peter Arno: Pilgrim's Progress
He still could compose a good crowd scene. An original illustration by Sarg no doubt created for the Roberts House inn dates approximately from the following year, 1928. Here he has rendered a bustling aerial view of a small town intersection with the Roberts House featured prominently at the top center. Judging from the heights of the surrounding two-story buildings he has shown us, he may very well have had to imagine this view from such an elevated vantage point.
Typically, when a piece like this comes along it makes a brief public appearance at auction before disappearing into a private collection for years. This particular piece, though, is on public display, albeit in an unlikely venue. You can see it in New York at the Society of Illustrators. It's hanging in the men's room.
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| Tony Sarg, Busy intersection in small town, c. 1928 |
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| Illustration House, June 25, 2011, Lot 1 |
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| Tony Sarg, Busy intersection in small town, c. 1928 On view in the men's room of the Society of Illustrators |
Note: There are, to be sure, millions of blogs out there, but how many of them are classy enough to drag you into the men's room of the Society of Illustrators? Only one, I'll bet. Now is there anyone willing to show me what's on the wall of the ladies' room?
My Thanksgiving blog posts cover the Macy's Parade, Tony Sarg, and some persistent local turkeys that I can't seem to dodge. I've put together a festive assortment of these posts over the years and personally I never tire of them. I don't see why you should.
The Charlie Brown Balloon at MoCCA Fest 2014
The 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation
The 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation
The 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 2005 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Maurice Sendak's Wild Thing Balloon Design
Keith Haring's Figure with Heart Balloon
Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet
Various Wild Turkeys
Peter Arno: Pilgrim's Progress
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