Original New Yorker art by cartoonist George Price is prized by collectors for its depiction of an assortment of characters—sometimes eccentric, often of limited means—living out their lives among the bric-a-brac they have accumulated. This sort of humor, mingling as it does personalities, settings, and objects, requires a deft touch. A drawing of his from early 1943 shows Price in great form, delivering equal parts humor and poignancy, capturing some of the true emotions experienced on the home front during World War II.
 |
| "He's homesick." George Price Original art The New Yorker, February 6, 1943, p. 19 |
He wrote the two-word caption at the upper left; it was to be printed underneath on the wife's side of the drawing. The economy of words among the proliferation of lines is striking. The blue coloring indicates where the Ben Day process would produce shading in the printed cartoon.
 |
| Detail with caption |
 |
| "All best wishes to John — George" |
One might very well ask why, on December 10, this exceptional framed and matted drawing sold at auction in Philadelphia for only $100. To be fair, the auction house Barry S. Slosberg's estimate started out low, $100 to $200, and it proved accurate. The piece, which so well reflected the mood of the country during the Great War, may not resonate so strongly with many today, although any parent should understand. Finally, the market is inefficient, and some collectors who love this kind of art may not have seen this piece come to auction. For them, they may just have to wait eighty-three more years for another chance.
 |
| George Price Barry S. Slosberg, Inc., listing of December 10, 2025 |
 |
| George Price Barry S. Slosberg, Inc., item description |
For all its complexity, the drawing looks very clean on the printed page. Price knows how to tell a story visually: the couple seated apart but sharing the news from overseas, the photograph of the son in uniform on the wall, the peeling plaster, the hungry cat, the nailed floorboards, and . . . everything else.
 |
| "He's homesick." George Price The New Yorker, February 6, 1943, p. 19 |
 |
| "He's homesick." George Price Original art The New Yorker, February 6, 1943, p. 19 |
 |
| With cartoons by Leonard Dove and George Price |
* * * On the page opposite, Leonard Dove's cartoon about obtaining credit in time of war provides an interesting contrast with Price's. The shading is heavier, the setting is less surprising, and the caption is, of course, a lot wordier.  |
| "Frankly, Mr. Courtney, it isn't only the government regulations—we like prompt payment also." Leonard Dove The New Yorker, February 6, 1943, p. 18 |
No comments:
Post a Comment