As we’re in the second week of a double issue, there’s no new issue to look at. Darn.
Instead, let’s take a look at an issue from this week, seventy-five years ago. Cover by Ilonka Karasz:
As much as I like the cartoons in this issue, it’s the Spot drawings that really caught my eye. So here are just a few (with a bonus Goings On About Town drawing at the very end):
We begin with this charming Spot by Ludwig Bemelmans. If it hadn’t been published as small as it was, I think it could easily have worked as a cartoon.
This one by Chon Day made me smile. Lovely drawing. So simple…and funny.
Here’s one by the great Spot artist, Suzanne Suba.
A spot by Mario Micossi that accompanied The Skyline column.
The artist here is not known to me (spelling looks a lot like Neuwirth). Love the drawing.
This charmer by one of my all-time favorite cover artists, Abe Birnbaum.
And finally, this terrific drawing by Victor de Pauw:
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The A-Z Entries for the above artists:
Ilonka Karasz (photo by Nickolas Muray) Born, Budapest, July 13, 1893. Died, Warwick, New York, May 26, 1981. New Yorker work: Ms. Karasz was a prolific New Yorker cover artist, with 185 published. Her first appeared on the issue of April 4, 1925; her last appeared on the issue of October 22, 1973. Her Wikipedia entry
Ludwig Bemelmans Born, April 27, 1898. Died, October 1, 1962. New Yorker work: contributed six cartoons and thirty-two covers as well written pieces in a New Yorker career that began in October of 1937 and lasted until August 1962. He achieved lasting fame with his Madeline childrens books.
Abe Birnbaum Born, New York City, 1899. Died June 19, 1966, New York City. New Yorker work: 1929 -1974. Mr. Birnbaum began at the New Yorker as a cartoonist, contributing a handful before switching to cover work, of which he produced 141. He also provided spot drawings and illustrations. According to Mr. Birnbaum’s New York Times obit, his work was exhibited at The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Carnegie Institute.
Chon Day (Photo from This Week anthology, 1954; self portrait above from Collier’s Collects Its Wits) Born April 6, 1907, Chatham , NJ. Died January 1, 2000, Rhode Island. New Yorker work: 1931 – 1998. Collection: I Could Be Dreaming (Robert M. McBride & Co., 1945)
Susanne Suba Born Budapest, Hungary 1913. Died February, 2012, NYC. Ms. Suba contributed numerous “spot” drawings to The New Yorker, as well as five covers and one cartoon, published September 18, 1948. Her first cover appeared October 21, 1939, and her last, March 2, 1963. Besides her work for the magazine she was a prolific illustrator of children’s books. A collection of her spot drawings was published in 1944, Spots By Suba: From The New Yorker (E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc, NY).
Mario Micossi New Yorker work: one drawing, October 10, 1964. While technically a One Club member for his one cartoon, Mr. Micossi did contribute four covers to the magazine.
Victor De Pauw (Photo: 1924) Born, Belgium, 1902. Died, 1971. New Yorker work: 1928 -1948. Photo above from website: depauwfineart.com