The amorous Morris gets some sound if probably unwanted advice from the young woman he has his arms wrapped tightly about. The scene is from an original Peter Arno cartoon that was sold at auction just yesterday. The drawing in its day was not accepted by The New Yorker, but it does appear in Peter Arno's Circus (1931).
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"Listen[,] Morris. What you need is a wife!" Peter Arno Original art Published as "Listen[,] Charlie, what you need is a wife." Peter Arno's Circus, Horace Liveright, 1931 |
Arno had used the name Morris a few times in New Yorker captions; this eager young man was renamed Charlie when he finally got to appear in print. The book collects Arno's work, most of it published in The New Yorker between 1929 and 1931; this drawing may well be one of the earlier examples in the set.
Perhaps the magazine thought the drawing gymnastically improbable, or the sensible caption too at odds with the lustful scenario. Having the woman's face covered makes it difficult to interpret her words. Does she herself want to be Morris's wife? That seems unlikely. Does she want him to find a wife and leave her alone? Maybe, but that doesn't quite fit with her actions either. Is her lifestyle too exhausting? Her pose seems willing. What exactly do her words mean?
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"Listen[,] Charlie, what you need is a wife." Peter Arno's Circus, Horace Liveright, 1931 |
Perhaps the magazine thought the drawing gymnastically improbable, or the sensible caption too at odds with the lustful scenario. Having the woman's face covered makes it difficult to interpret her words. Does she herself want to be Morris's wife? That seems unlikely. Does she want him to find a wife and leave her alone? Maybe, but that doesn't quite fit with her actions either. Is her lifestyle too exhausting? Her pose seems willing. What exactly do her words mean?
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| Peter Arno's signature |
Neal Auction Company of New Orleans gave this drawing a presale estimate of $700 to $1000. The opening bid was set at $125. They go so far as to describe it as in "overall poor condition." That seems a bit harsh for something that still looks good and remains in one piece after more than ninety years. Calling it in fair condition might be more...fair.
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| Peter Arno Neal Auction Company listing accessed January 10, 2022 |
The piece sold yesterday for $1,200, not including the premium.
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