Peter Arno: The Better Singer

From eBay in 2008 comes a fine example of preliminary New Yorker cartoon art by Peter Arno. Seated in a nightclub, a bewildered wife comments on the lackluster entertainment. She looks intently at her husband, but all the other patrons are looking...elsewhere. For the final published version, Arno pulls the husband in closer to his wife so the composition will be more vertical and fit better on the full magazine page.

"Why, I can sing better than that!"
Peter Arno
Preliminary cartoon art, The New Yorker, April 9, 1949, page 38

Detail

The published caption is glued to the rough

New Yorker copyright protection on the rough

 

Peter Arno, The New Yorker, April 9, 1949, page 38

"Why, I can sing better than that!"
Peter Arno, The New Yorker, April 9, 1949, page 38

"Why, I can sing better than that!"
Peter Arno, Preliminary cartoon art, The New Yorker, April 9, 1949, page 38

Note:  The blog archives are home to more posts about Peter Arno and more examples of preliminary New Yorker cartoon art. Yes, you may sing along.

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