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
Thirteen cartoons, thirteen cartoonists. One duo, that we know of (the Spill considers duos as one cartoonist). Two newbies: Eric Clausen, and Anika Orrock, who are the 12th and 13th additions to the magazine’s cartoonist colosseum this year, and the 177th and 178th cartoonists brought in under Emma Allen, who took the cartoon editor’s reins in May of 2017. The longest active contributing artist in this issue is Roz Chast, whose first New Yorker drawing appeared in the issue of July 3, 1978.
This Week’s Cartoons (in a slideshow)
The Cartoon Caption Contest (Kate Isenberg provides this week’s contest drawing).
The Rea Irvin Talk Watch
The above perfect Talk design by Rea Irvin, ran weekly for 92 years before being replaced, in May of 2017 by — believe it or not! — a redrawn version executed by a contemporary illustrator. The Spill continues to hope Mr. Irvin’s work returns. Read more here.
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): 179. Number of cartoons contributed: 261.