Attempted Bloggery: moon

Showing posts with label moon. Show all posts

Monday, April 20, 2026

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #987

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #987 from the issue of April 20, 2026, a pair of dogs look up at giant moon that is in the form of a cat's head. The dog on the right speaks. My submission is below. The drawing is by Christopher Weyant.

"Don't just sit there—howl."

This caption didn't sit well:

"I refuse to see anything but a man in the moon."

May 2, 2026 Update: The Finalists

May 10, 2026 Update: I voted for the caption from Chicago.

May 23, 2026 Update: The Winner

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Monday, January 19, 2026

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #975

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #975 from the issue of January 19, 2026, two astronauts standing on the moon look up at the earth while one takes a photo of it with his smart phone. The astronaut who is taking the photo speaks. The drawing is by Tommy Siegel.

"I'll post this once I think of a good caption."

These captions didn't reach escape velocity:

"I can see my house from here."
"Get in the picture with everyone else."
"That's something you don't see every day."
"Now watch me cool it down with a filter setting."
"Don't they look miserable?"

January 31, 2026 Update: The Finalists

February 7, 2026 Update: I voted for the caption from Toronto.

February 9, 2026 Update: The Winner

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Monday, January 25, 2021

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #741

Let's raise a glass to my entry, below, in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #741 for January 25, 2021. The drawing is by Michael Maslin.

"Once you start using them, you see them everywhere."

February 1, 2021 Update: The Finalists

February 8, 2020 Update: I voted for the caption from Las Vegas. It had no word play, but I thought it fit the drawing best.

February 25, 2021 Update: The Winner

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Friday, March 20, 2020

John and Therese Wright's Copy of Desclozeaux

The Institut français du Royaume-Uni in South Kensington held an exhibition of work by French cartoonist Jean-Pierre Desclozeaux in January and February of 1982. It was the artist's first showing in England. The exhibit featured a sampling of the artist's vibrant watercolors. The catalogue has an appreciative introduction by Ronald Searle. John and Therese Wright's copy has some foxing on the cover, but it boasts an inscription by the artist in multicolored pencil.

The Institut français du Royaume-Uni, London
Desclozeaux, 1982

Slightly foxed—but still desirable

Spine view

Inscription by Jean-Pierre Desclozeaux

"Apropos Desclozeaux" by Ronald Searle

Desclozeaux
eBay Listing Ended November 18, 2019

https://www.ebay.com/itm/034-DESCLOZEAUX-034-SIGNED-1982-EXHIBITION-CATALOGUE-INSTITUT-FRANCAIS-LONDON-/392530998969?ul_noapp=true&autorefresh=true&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Desclozeaux
eBay Item Description

eBay Bid History
One stealthy bid at the auction close.

Note: I'm almost certain that perfectly-centered Searle signature is a printed one that appears in every copy of the catalogue. Anyone with a copy who can confirm or refute this should get in touch.

This is the first appearance of Jean-Pierre Desclozeaux on Attempted Bloggery. Readers with examples of his original art are encouraged to share them here by submitting scans or photos.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Catalogues

Ronald Searle

Signed Books

Spring

Attempted Bloggery's Franco-American Index

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Friday, January 31, 2020

Maurice Sendak: Moishe by Moonlight

We are plausibly told that the second state of Maurice Sendak's 1980 etching Moishe by Moonlight is a rarity, but that doesn't quite tell us how many prints of this image were actually pulled. It's an atmospheric etching of a Wild Thing that would look splendid on any wall. Some of us who admire it though might find the $60,000 price tag to be somewhat prohibitive.

Maurice Sendak
Moishe by Moonlight
Etching, Second State, 1980

Maurice Sendak

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?cm_sp=SearchF-_-topnav-_-Results&kn=Moishe%20by%20Moonlight&sts=t

I believe I saw this impressive piece on display at the Society of Illustrators in November but I was not up to the challenge of photographing it through reflective glass.

Maurice Sendak
Moishe by Moonlight
Etching, Second State, 1980
The Society of Illustrators
November 6, 2020

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Saturday, January 11, 2020

Arnie Levin and Ronald Searle: The Owl and the Pussycat and The New Yorker

Edward Lear
The Owl and the Pussy-Cat

https://www.mediastorehouse.com/granger-art-on-demand/cats/owl-pussycat-drawing-edward-lear-book-nonsense-songs-6249501.html?prodid=7287

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43188/the-owl-and-the-pussy-cat

More than a century after the original publication of Edward Lear's The Owl and the Pussy-Cat (1871), the famous nonsense poem improbably served as the inspiration for two outstanding New Yorker covers published exactly five years apart. Not coincidentally, these two covers neatly bracket the five-year editorial reign of Robert Gottlieb. The moonlit 1987 cover is by Arnie Levin; the 1992 cover set on Central Park Lake is by Ronald Searle.

Arnie Levin
The New Yorker, July 27, 1987

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1987-07-27/flipbook/CV1/

Ronald Searle
The New Yorker, July 27, 1992

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1992-07-27/flipbook/CV1/

* * *

Incidentally, a more tempestuous treatment of the subject by Searle is today in the collection of Robert L. Forbes. It is apparently undated.

Ronald Searle
The Owl and the Pussycat

Ronald Searle
Christie's South Kensington
July 29, 2008

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43188/the-owl-and-the-pussy-cat

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Saturday, June 10, 2017

Bob Staake: Stay Up With a Good Book!

Posters supporting books and literacy help to ensure a new generation of readers.Bob Staake's delightful poster for the 2014 National Book Festival urges us to "Stay up with a good book!" The festival was held under the auspices of the Library of Congress. The President and First Lady were honorary chairs. Reasonably-priced copies of the poster are available on eBay.

Bob Staake, Library of Congress, National Book Festival, August 30, 2014

Bob Staake
eBay Listing ended May 25, 2017

http://www.ebay.com/itm/33-1-2-X-19-inches-Library-of-Congress-National-Book-Festival-2014-Bob-Staake-/282447612099?hash=item41c33088c3%3Ag%3Ax4QAAOSwyQtVuuqd&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Bob Staake
eBay Item Description

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

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Barack Obama

Attempted Bloggery's Insomniac Index

02213

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Arthur Rackham: The Ingoldsby Legends

The Ingoldsby Legends is obscure now but was popular in the 19th century. Thomas Ingoldsby was the pen name of the Reverend Rchard Harris Barham. Arthur Rackham's 1898 illustration for the spine of the book features a crescent moon, a witch flying on her broomstick, and some bats which must appear on the lower back cover. The original artwork is offered by Chris Beetles of London.

http://www.chrisbeetles.com/gallery/fairy-fantasy/ingoldsby-legends-witch-flight.html

http://poulwebb.blogspot.com/2013/07/arthur-rackham-part-1.html

Note: Previous posts here on Attempted Bloggery about Arthur Rackham contain some of the most gorgeous illustration artwork I have found. Don't just take my word for it. See for yourself here.

I also have more ghoulish Halloween posts here.

The Boston Red Sox have won the World Series. All my classic baseball posts are here.

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Saturday, January 26, 2013

Wise Tie

This fanciful tie design by Hermès, known apparently as a Twillby tie, is very appealing and should catch the eyes of night owls everywhere.

Hermès Silk Tie 5131 HA

That owl may be what first caught my eye on eBay, but this double-stirrup design is actually the tie's primary pattern.

Hermès Silk Tie 5131 HA

Note the two patterns on the back of the tie, again from the eBay listing.

Hermès Silk Tie 5131 HA

And now we can understand what's most interesting, intriguing, and perhaps even vexing about the tie. The double-stirrup design covers the wide part of the tie. The enchanting owl design is limited to the thin part of the tie.

Hermès Silk Tie 5131 HA

This means that when this necktie is worn, people will admire the regular geometric pattern, while the delightful owls, save for the odd gust of wind, will remain totally unseen!

Hermès Silk Tie 5131 HA

Hermès Twillby Tie 5131 HA, eBay Item Description

Auction Ending February 3, 2013

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290850743284

Hermès Twillby Tie 5131 HA
eBay Item Description

Auction Ending January 24, 2013

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-MINT-BOX-HERMES-TWILLBY-TIE-BLACK-CHAIN-DANCRE-LINKS-OWLS-STARS-XL-/230912840826?pt=US_Mens_Ties&hash=item35c37a547a

Here's a second example from a different eBay seller of the same type of Twillby tie design:

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-HERMES-Tie-Links-Horse-Dark-Blue-Twillby-5096-PA-/380549010363?pt=US_Mens_Ties&hash=item589a7d13bb&nma=true&si=VJo29%252F7WbHpl1SY9gWmnl4%252FkT80%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

The front of the tie shows a linked pattern.

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA

Whereas the back of the tie has horses that are on an unseen part of the tie.

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA

The wearer knows full well of the tie's whimsy, but the general public does not.

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA eBay Item Listing
January 9, 2013

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA eBay Item Description
January 9, 2013

February 3, 2013 Update: The owl tie sold today for $168--to me! This is a prime example of how blogging costs me money. If you should catch me when I'm wearing it, just say the word and I'll share the tie's hidden design with you.

November 21, 2015 Update: The owl on the back of the Trilby tie also stands on its own! Here is design 7997 EA.