The Monday Tilley Watch takes a glancing look at the art and artists of the latest issue of The New Yorker
The Cartoonists and Cartoons:
Fifteen cartoons, fifteen cartoonists. One newbie: Sofia Glock, who is the first addition to The New Yorker cartoonist colosseum this year and the 166th cartoonist brought in since Emma Allen took the cartoon editor reins in May of 2017. There’s one duo that we know of (the Spill counts duos as one cartoonist). The longest active cartoonist in the issue is Roz Chast, whose first New Yorker drawing appeared in the issue of July of 1978.
There are two unsigned dancing Jules Feiffer figures on page 9, a nod to Mr. Feiffer, who passed away last week.
The Spill applauds John O’Brien’s wonderful cowboy drawing in this issue as well as Lynn Hsu’s folks in the observatory, and Nick Downes’ conference room situation.
The Rea Irvin Talk Watch:
Way way way back in the Spring of 2017 the above perfect Talk design by Rea Irvin was removed and replaced by a contemporary illustrator’s redraw(!). The Spill looks forward to the day when Mr. Irvin’s work returns. Read More.
Rea Irvin’s A-Z Entry:
Rea Irvin (pictured above. Self portrait above from Meet the Artist) Born, San Francisco, 1881; died in the Virgin Islands,1972. Irvin was the cover artist for the New Yorker’s first issue, February 21, 1925. He was the magazine’s first art and only art supervisor (some refer to him as its first art editor) holding the position from 1925 until 1939 when James Geraghty assumed the title of art editor. Irvin then became art director and remained in that position until William Shawn officially succeeded Harold Ross in early 1952. Irvin’s last original work for the magazine was the magazine’s cover of July 12, 1958. The February 21, 1925 Eustace Tilley cover had been reproduced every year on the magazine’s anniversary until 1994, when R. Crumb’s Tilley-inspired cover appeared. Tilley has since reappeared, with other artists substituting from time-to-time. Number of New Yorker covers (not including the repeat appearances of the first cover every anniversary up to 1991): 163. Number of cartoons contributed: 261.