Country Cottage by Arthur Getz

Country Cottage is a small oil painting on board by New Yorker cover artist Arthur Getz. It depicts a cottage and its yard in the summer months, as seen from above. Apparently an example of art for art's sake, it was not intended for publication. I asked the artist's daughter Sarah Getz whether she could identify the location of this cottage.

She writes, "As for the cottage, that’s probably from Arthur’s Truro days, or some other summer visit situation. I don’t believe the scene is of Sharon / Cornwall; I think the piece is older than that. No special significance … I’m actually concerned about the integrity of that roof!"

Truro? Why, that's the Cape Cod town where New Yorker writer E. J. Kahn, Jr., kept his own summer place, complete with tennis court! Did the artist and the writer spend time together there? I had to ask.

Ms. Getz writes back, "So as for your question … I’m not positive about Kahn, but they must have hobnobbed. I think there were quite a few NYKR parties in Truro that Arthur begrudgingly attended, not being a party person himself. But I’ve no record of Arthur mentioning him, though I’m sure Arthur read his pieces on WW II, in which they both served."

So, there you have it. And it all started with an eBay listing:

Arthur Getz

Country Cottage

Arthur Getz
Country Cottage

Detail

Detail

Detail

Artist's notation

Artist's notation

Arthur Getz
Country Cottage

Arthur Getz
eBay Listing Ended April 23, 2018

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ARTHUR-GETZ-listed-original-small-painting-art-illustrator-for-The-New-Yorker-/112890471703?hash=item1a48cbe517%3Ag%3A-H8AAOSwaB5Xn9oB&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Arthur Getz
eBay Item Description

Note:  Extended! “The Art of Arthur Getz: City & Country” is currently on view at the Hotchkiss Library in Sharon, CT. It was to close today, but has been extended to mid-August. 
www.hotchkisslibrary.org

There's even more to see at “Covering New York: New Yorker Magazine Covers by Arthur Getz” now being exhibited at the Moviehouse Studio Gallery located in the Moviehouse, Millerton, NY, through August 28.

www.themoviehouse.net

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Fishing from a Bridge: Arthur Getz Preliminary New Yorker Cover Art

It's always exciting to see a preliminary version of a familiar New Yorker cover image turn up unexpectedly. Arthur Getz's cover of May 24, 1976 is such a deft evocation of a serene moment that it seems impossible to imagine it any other way. But a glimpse at one of the many roughs he created of this scene shows how hard he worked at getting it right, playing subtly with proportion and distance, working out just how much space to leave at the bottom of the page. The challenge for the artist was how best to place an essentially horizontal image on an upright magazine cover. I asked Sarah Getz, the artist's daughter, for some background information on this drawing, which was given to one of her schoolteachers. I also asked if she knew where the bridge might be located.

She writes, "The fishing-from-bridge rough was an end-of-the-school-year gift to one of my favorite grade school teachers. Arthur painted many versions of that particular cover, putting the concept through its paces, trying to get it just right. Always generous, he frequently gave such versions away as gifts to friends and acquaintances. I rather think that the bridge scene was a mix of images from his memory, not a depiction of one specific spot."

Arthur Getz
The New Yorker, May 24, 1976

Arthur Getz
Preliminary art
The New Yorker, May 24, 1976

Arthur Getz
eBay Listing Ended September 10, 2017

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Cover-Illustration-Signed-Arthur-Getz-Bridge-/282632810297?ul_noapp=true&autorefresh=true&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Arthur Getz
eBay Item Description

Arthur Getz
eBay Bid History
One bid

Arthur Getz
The New Yorker, May 24, 1976

Arthur Getz
Preliminary art
The New Yorker, May 24, 1976

Note:  “The Art of Arthur Getz: City & Country” is currently on view at the Hotchkiss Library in Sharon, CT, but only through tomorrow, June 30. 
www.hotchkisslibrary.org

There's a bit more time left to see “Covering New York: New Yorker Magazine Covers by Arthur Getz” now being exhibited at the Moviehouse Studio Gallery located in the Moviehouse, Millerton, NY, through August 28.

www.themoviehouse.net

I know little about the art of paper restoration. Can the degree of foxing seen in this original be remedied? What would be the approximate cost?

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An Al Kaufman Self-Portrait

Who can blame New Yorker cartoonist Al Kaufman for choosing to depict himself with his family on his mind? In addition to the more surreal aspects of this cartoon, the eyeballs have been drawn as twin smiling faces. This unusual self-portrait bears printer's markings and came out of a Princeton estate. It was sold last year on eBay.

Al Kaufman
Self-Portrait

Detail

Al Kaufman
eBay Listing Ended October 31, 2017

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cartoonist-AL-KAUFMAN-034-Ink-Spill-New-Yorker-Magazine-034-Orig-Pen-amp-Ink-Self-Portrait-/232544945938?hash=item3624c24712%3Ag%3AEAsAAOSwjkdZ7oeE&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Al Kaufman
eBay Item Description

The illustration is featured—and explained—in Ink Spill's capsule biography of the artist:

Al Kaufman's capsule biography on Ink Spill
The New Yorker Cartoonists A-Z

http://michaelmaslin.com/new-yorker-cartoonists-z/

What do you know? The new owner announced his acquisition on Twitter:

Al Kaufman tweet

https://twitter.com/broomewithaview/status/928406743805317122

Al Kaufman
Self-Portrait

Note:  Alas, I did not look up the eBay auctions of the other seven self-portraits by New Yorker cartoonists from the same estate. Does anyone by chance have pictures of these?

I would also like to hear from anyone who can identify where this drawing was originally published.

Readers are referred to the post "Al Kaufman Photos Surface" from December 3, 2013 on Ink Spill for more about this artist.

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Anne Rosenberg's Copy of The Prince of Wales and Other Famous Americans by Miguel Covarrubias

Catalogue #116 from bookseller James Cummins offered a pencil inscription with a caricature self-portrait by Miguel Covarrubias. The drawing is in a copy of The Prince of Wales and Other Famous Americans (1925), a collection of Covarrubias caricatures.

Miguel Covarrubias
James Cummins, bookseller
Catalogue #116

Scan by David from Manhattan

Video added March 13, 2021

Note:  Thanks to long-time contributor David from Manhattan for his diligence in providing this scan. Today's post marks his twenty-sixth contribution to Attempted Bloggery.

This is the third remarkable leaf from a copy of The Prince of Wales and Other Americans personalized by Miguel Covarrubias to appear on this blog. I would be happy to publish scans of other original drawings or noteworthy inscriptions by the artist in other copies of the book. Remember, not all antiquarian treasures need to stay hidden away.

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My Entries in the Moment Cartoon Caption Contest for May/June 2018

Let's run my entries in the Moment Cartoon Caption Contest for May/June 2018 up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes. The drawing is by Benjamin Schwartz.

"And YOU thought they would choose the dollar sign!"
"Word is Jared and Ivanka still have some pull."
"So do you still take off your cap for the national anthem?"
"So now it goes, 'Oy, say can you see...?'"
"Sheldon Adelson paid you HOW MUCH?"
"Why do you suppose it isn't trending?"
"Tell me what you dreamed and I'll tell you what it meant."
"Jew-S-A! Jew-S-A!"
"I know you're a proud American, Zeke. Is there something else you want to tell me?"

July 12, 2018 Update:  The Finalists

September 17, 2018 Update:  Winning Caption

Glossary of Jewish Humor:  Aliyah is the act of moving to the Land of Israel, or "going up."

You may vote for your favorite caption here. The deadline is August 20, 2018. While you're on the site, consider entering the current contest yourself. It rocks.

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #621

Try on my entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #621 for June 25, 2018. The drawing is by Kaamran Hafeez.

"I'd say you're ready for anything the Mueller team can throw at you."

This caption just wasn't a good fit:

"I trust you can still get to your wallet."

July 2, 2018 Update: The Finalists

July 16, 2018 Update:  I voted for the first caption.


July 23, 2018 Update: Winning Caption

Note:  Last week cartoonist Drew Dernavich was at his most angelic. My caption was more demonic. Take aim at Contest #620.

Suit up! Take the measure of my previous posts about Kaamran Hafeez.

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Otto Soglow: It's The Law! by Dick Hyman, Part 2

Readers may recall that It's the Law! was a regular cartoon feature that appeared in the pages of The American Magazine from 1934 to 1956. The series highlighted some of the more absurd laws that were (and perhaps still are) on the books in this country. The series was written by Dick Hyman and it was illustrated with great jurisprudence by Otto Soglow. Here are five more pages from the series provided by Dick Buchanan from his Cartoon Clip Files. This time we begin in June of 1949 with a law that can only be described as asinine.

Otto Soglow
It's the Law! by Dick Hyman
The American Magazine, June 1949, page 70

Scan by Dick Buchanan

Otto Soglow
It's the Law! by Dick Hyman
The American Magazine, March 1951, page 64

Scan by Dick Buchanan

Otto Soglow
It's the Law! by Dick Hyman
The American Magazine, May 1951, page 70

Scan by Dick Buchanan

Otto Soglow
It's the Law! by Dick Hyman
The American Magazine, August 1951, page 72

Scan by Dick Buchanan

Otto Soglow
It's the Law! by Dick Hyman
The American Magazine, September 1951, page 72

Scan by Dick Buchanan

Note:  Once again my thanks go to Dick Buchanan for providing Attempted Bloggery with great scans from the legendary Dick Buchanan Cartoon Clip Files. For two years now Dick has contributed regularly to Mike Lynch Cartoons, most recently a post entitled "From the Dick Buchanan Files: Totally Wordless Gag Cartoons 1948 - 1965."

Readers looking for further examples of It's the Law! by Dick Hyman with illustrations by Otto Soglow that were collected for Reader's Digest are referred back to Mike Lynch Cartoons. The blog's 2013 post is called "IT'S AGAINST THE LAW by Dick Hyman and Otto Soglow."


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Otto Soglow

Otto Soglow:  It's The Law! by Dick Hyman, Part 1

Dick Buchanan

Attempted Bloggery's Judicious Index

Me, I plead the Fifth.

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