My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #843

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #843 from the issue of March 27, 2023 should be solvable with the greatest of ease. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by P. C. Vey.

"Next time, bring the net."

These captions were a little too slippery:

"I see you're not complaining now about all the circus lessons."
"When did you last wash these hands?"
"I'd like to see you try this with your Adobe Acrobat."

April 7, 2023 Update:  The Finalists

April 17, 2023 Update:  I voted for the caption from Boston.

April 23, 2023 Update:  The Winner

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Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: Legends

On Friday evening, we attended the Greatest Show on Earth!

http://www.realmomreviews.net/2014/05/ringling-bros-and-barnum-bailey-present-legends/

The Torres Family

Elephants

Acrobats Attempt Four Back-to-Back Triple Somersaults

Note:   Celebrate your inner child with Attempted Bloggery. Every now and then, this blog is good for a post or two about the circus.

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Galloping Round with Ronald Searle

A seldom-seen 1959 Christmas card designed by Ronald Searle has found its way onto eBay just in time for our holiday inspiration. The card is signed and was kept by the recipient for all these years, no doubt because of the amusing sequence of drawings. Searle, of course, draws horses like nobody's business, but note too how skillfully he handles the extreme close-up view of the horse inside the card. Also note the deft alterations in facial expression of both horse and rider that occur between the cover and the inside of the card. Just who is in charge here?

eBay Listing Copied December 4, 2015

http://www.ebay.com/itm/U32-VINTAGE-CHRISTMAS-CARD-CIRCUS-HORSE-ACROBAT-RONALD-SEARLE-c1959-/111839761017?hash=item1a0a2b5279:g:uCwAAOSwHQ9WX1dD

eBay Item Description

December 19, 2015 Update:  Sold!

eBay Bid History
The first bidder places two bids on December 9 which reveal the second bidder's maximum bid but don't surpass it. Then the first bidder places a higher bid three minutes before the auction's close.

Note:  The Ronald Searle Tribute blog's extensive collection of Searle Christmas cards is well worth a look as the holidays approach. At this writing, the "Galloping Round" Christmas card is not on the site, but that surely will be remedied soon.

A handful of Christmas cards by various artists are featured on this blog as well.

Then there's my own unworthy offering of blog posts about Ronald Searle...

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George Segal: Circus Acrobats

George Segal's Circus Acrobats from 1981 [now corrected to 1988] is installed in the lobby just outside the main entrance to the Princeton University Art Museum. Of all the artist's works, surely this plaster sculpture is one of his most joyous, a truly exhilarating work.

George Segal (American, 1924-2000)
Circus Acrobats, 1981 [now corrected to 1988]

Plaster

Princeton University Art Museum, Gift of the George and Helen Segal Foundation [2009-80 a-c]       

March 21, 2020 Update:  Comments left below by Neil S. Schwartz prompted me to contact the museum to ascertain the actual casting dates for this piece. I'm pleased to report the museum's research confirmed Mr. Schwartz's contention that the year of casting was 1988. They have corrected the year on their website (but erroneously retained 1981 as the copyright year).

https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/collections/objects/57120

Note:  There are more disparate examples of sculpture to see right here in the blog.

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Chinese Acrobats 2014

The Chinese acrobatic troupe Jeweled Dragon performed at Epcot in front of the Chinese pavilion.

Jeweled Dragon

Balance

Hoops

There's more drum work in the two following videos.

What next? See the grand finale in the video below.

Note:  More posts about Walt Disney World are available here 24/7 perhaps even in China.

Good news! Attempted Bloggery has been mentioned in the latest installment of Perpetua, the Ronald Searle Tribute blog, entitled "For the Birds."

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