In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #925 from the issue of December 9, 2024, we see a museum gallery tour coming upon an artist painting a picture hanging on the wall. The tour leader speaks. The drawing is by Liam Francis Walsh.
"And here we have our local art critic."
These captions were strictly color by number:
"The collection is getting modernized." "At least we got him to stop using a roller." "He paints what he sees." "This is the new, calmer climate change activism." "He's a good artist but has no imagination." "He donated it in perpetuity."
December 23, 2024 Update: The Finalists
January 11, 2025 Update: I voted for the caption from Joplin.
In the CartoonStock Caption Contest number 185, two upright fish visit an art gallery. The exhibition consists of various images of fish hooks.
The rules of the monthly cash prize contest have not changed (and neither has my description of them): Five dollars buys up to three entries. Real cash prizes are $500 for first place and $100 for each of five runners up. As of this writing, I've put $150 into the first thirty pay-to-play contests and this thirty-first challenge brings my total cash outlay up to $155. Having achieved runner-up status with two previous entries, I've collected $200 from CartoonStock, so I'm still playing with the house's money, thank goodness. In fact, so few contestants enter that the odds may generally be considered favorable even for us less-gifted caption writers. My three entries are shown below, above the break. The cartoonist is Chris Gural.
"The artist is trying to bait us." "The artist died researching his next painting." "Great art is supposed to make you uncomfortable." * * * "Let's break for a snack." "Sure it's provocative, but is it art?"
October 20, 2024 Update: Both Lawrence Wood and the cartoonist Gural chose my third caption for their top ten, but that still wasn't enough to reach the winner's circle.
Over the years, cartoonists have had a lot to say about modern art. Let's face it, Richard Taylor's museum copyist would not be turning a gallery goer's head if she were copying an old master. But why exactly is the man looking on in disbelief? If the art is worth visiting, as he is doing, why is it not worth studying, as she is doing?
That may be the problem with this as a New Yorker cover proposal—and it could hardly be anything else. Both the man and the woman are taking this art seriously, yet in order for us to smile at the gag, we have to view the woman's copying as somewhat frivolous.
Note: The eBay seller asserts there is another New Yorker cover by another artist "with this nearly identical concept." I confess I am at a loss to identify what cover this could be. Can anyone help me out?
In 2010, the then-owner of this art listed it on the Comic Art Fans website here.
September 26, 2021 Update: In the comments section, John makes the persuasive suggestion that the eBay seller refers to Constantin Alajálov'sNew Yorker cover of February 11, 1933. The cover gag does indeed depict a museum copyist, but it is certainly not about—ahem!—modernism.
Constantin Alajálov
The New Yorker, February 11, 1933
I agree with John that this cover is much funnier than Taylor's proposal. The eBay seller's contention that Taylor's idea would have to be purchased in order to be reworked to this degree and assigned to another artist seems unlikely to me; it is no longer Taylor's original concept. Still, 1933 was two years before Taylor's first appearance in the magazine, and it is conceivable The New Yorker would have wanted to use a more proven artist (Alajálov's work had been in the magazine since 1926). I wonder, though, whether Taylor could have been thinking of this cover and why he was passed over for it (if indeed he was) when he drew the following 1936 cartoon:
Our Modern Gallery of Ancient Favorites: Rape of the Sabines Richard Taylor The New Yorker, October 31, 1936, page 25
The Alajálov cover appeared before Taylor was a successful contributor to the magazine. Therefore, alternatively, Taylor might have been unaware of it when he submitted his own cover proposal of a museum copyist.
A spot drawing (artist unknown?) of a city clothesline and a cartoon by Richard Taylor
Take a good look at my entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #605 for February 26, 2018. The drawing is by Robert Leighton.
"Are you conceptual art or are we?"
These captions did not imitate life:
"Here we see even Van Gogh had off-days." "By 1901, Picasso had abandoned realism." "We can't find the exit." "This never should have been framed." "This is one budget cut too many."
March 5, 2018 Update: The Finalists
March 12, 2018 Update: I voted for the third caption. March 24, 2018 Update: Winning Caption
Note: Last week, cartoonist Mick Stevens created some prehistoric cave art. My caption was a caption in search of a caption. Take a look back, way back, at Contest #604. Don't miss Attempted Bloggery'sRobert Leighton gallery.
Recently I have surveyed the work of illustrator Constantin Alajálov residing in the collection of the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It did not immediately occur to me that these seven remarkable pieces were not acquired in 1955 by the museum's directors, but rather were collected by Sterling and Francine Clark themselves only a few years earlier. They were definitely my kind of collectors. Not only did they assemble a world-class collection of French Impressionist masterpieces and very impressive 19th century European salon paintings, they also took time out to purchase outstanding contemporary magazine cover illustrations by a New Yorker artist.
It's not clear what the museum's curators think of this, if they think of it at all. The Alajálov illustrations are catalogued online, to be sure, but the listings don't betray any scholarship or even mild curiosity. Still, I think these works can hold up to an occasional public airing if the museum should ever have the inclination.
My first visit to the Clark was some twenty or more years ago and I was overwhelmed particularly by all the Impressionist masterpieces on display. I had high hopes for my second visit in March of 2013, but the main galleries were closed for an extensive renovation and only a tiny fraction of the stunning collection was on view. I took a few pictures as you can see, but the grandeur and scope of the magnificent collection can't really be appreciated until the galleries reopen in all their glory on July 4.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Richard Guino,Venus Victorious, modelled 1913-1914, cast in bronze c. 1914-1915. Venus is modeled after a figure in a Renoir painting of The Judgment of Paris. Renoir supervised sculptor Guino's work on the large-scale figure.
Edgar Degas,Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, modeled 1879-1881, cast posthumously 1919-1921
Edgar Degas,Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, modeled 1879-1881, cast posthumously 1919-1921. Another view.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir,Bather Arranging Her Hair, 1885 Renoir retreats a bit from his earlier Impressionism to focus more on the figure.
Auguste Rodin,Man with a Serpent, plaster, c. 1886. This battle to the death is based on a figure from Rodin's unfinished Gates of Hell.
Auguste Rodin,Man with a Serpent, plaster, c. 1886. From this angle we can see who has won and who has lost.
Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema designed this Sample Panel for the Marquand Music Room, c. 1883-1884. Acquired by the Clark Art Institute in 2009.
Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema designed this Steinway Model D Pianoforte No. 54538, 1884. The fallfront was painted by John Poynter. Acquired by the Clark Art Institute in 1997.
Extensive renovations were underway in March of 2013. The galleries will reopen on July 4, 2014 with a new Visitor Center.
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