Peter Arno's 1954 New Yorker cartoon gets quite a bit of mileage out of one word.
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| "What does he mean, 'ilk'?" Peter Arno Original art The New Yorker, November 6, 1954, p. 34 |
We can call this cartoon from seven decades ago sexist, even stereotypical, but I don't think we can call it unfunny. Arno's blonde bombshell has a wonderful earnestness as she tries to understand what is being said of her.
The artist is such an accomplished storyteller. It takes just an instant for us to understand the setting. We take in the impassive judge, the crowded courtroom, and the sexpot exiting the premises with her lawyer. The doors serve as a framing device for the speaker, and the space between the two is just narrow enough to push her into the foreground, as if she weren't three-dimensional enough. The negative space behind her black dress is white.
The light source is on the left. The speaker is highlighted with just a thin line of shadow. Her legs are visible through the dress; Arno just can't help himself. Far more shadow falls on the attorney because he is the less important figure. His expression is muted and we can't see his eyes, but his head is turned toward the speaker, bringing our eyes back to her. His hands are twice the size of his petit client's and his waist is at least three times as wide as hers. Cartoonists wield such awesome power.
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| "What does he mean, 'ilk'?" Peter Arno Original art The New Yorker, November 6, 1954, p. 34 |
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| Peter Arno's signature |
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| Peter Arno The Potomack Company listing for November 17, 2018 |
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| Peter Arno The Potomack Company item description |
Sold!
Here's what New Yorker readers saw:
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| "What does he mean, 'ilk'?" Peter Arno The New Yorker, November 6, 1954, p. 34 |
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| "What does he mean, 'ilk'?" Peter Arno Original art The New Yorker, November 6, 1954, p. 34 |
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| A cartoon by Peter Arno and a spot drawing by James Thurber |
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| James Thurber Spot drawing |
Note: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my client, this blog, is in need of an ongoing supply of original art by Peter Arno.
Small world! I've already commented on the spot drawing by James Thurber here.
Small world! I've already commented on the spot drawing by James Thurber here.
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