A Group: Barbara Shermund, Edward Koren, Sam Gross
A trio of original work by three major New Yorker contributors. From top to bottom: Barbara Shermund, Edward Koren, and Sam Gross.
As time goes by, and I see more and more of Barbara Shermund’s work (whether in The New Yorker, or elsewhere) my regard increases for her place in the magazine’s pantheon. Her work was beautifully drawn, sharp, funny as heck, and so of its time. With 599 drawings and 8 covers between 1925 and 1944, she was on track to be one of the most prolific New Yorker artists. In the 1940s, when, according to Liza Donnelly, Shermund’s “work changed… in style and voice…” her base shifted away from The New Yorker to Esquire. Above is an undated drawing (“My dear, I hope you don’t mind taking pot luck”) which seems to be within the bridge period between her older style and her new. I’ve yet to discover where this drawing was published (it definitely wasn’t in The New Yorker).
Below the Shermund is a small original 2012 Edward Koren drawing, covered in a plastic sleeve. It’s designed to be worn (it has a pin on the back). Ed handed this to my wife and I when we visited him in his studio last year. If the visit wasn’t so overwhelming, I would’ve thought to ask him what event this was part of (someone out there must know…please advise)
Finally, a Sam Gross original. This was a wedding present to my wife and I way back in the late 1980s. I’ve always loved Sam’s cats — he was one of the best cat drawers of all-time. This particular one, I’ve always felt, has a bit of Steinbergian flavoring.
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The A-Zs for the above artists:
Barbara Shermund (self portrait shown) Born, San Francisco. 1899. Studied at The California School of Fine Arts. Died, 1978, New Jersey. New Yorker work: June 13, 1925 thru September 16, 1944. 8 covers and 599 cartoons. Shermund’s post-New Yorker work was featured in Esquire. (See Liza Donnelly’s book, Funny Ladies — a history of The New Yorker’s women cartoonists — for more on Shermund’s life and work)
Edward Koren (photo above, Fall 2016, courtesy of Gil Roth) Born, 1935, New York City. Died, April 14, 2023, Brookfield, Vermont. New Yorker work: May 26, 1962 — . Key collections: Do You Want To Talk About It? ( Pantheon, 1976), Well, There’s Your Problem (Pantheon, 1980), Caution: Small Ensembles (Pantheon, 1983), What About Me? (Pantheon Books, 1989). Website: edwardkoren.com
Sam Gross Born 1933, Bronx, NY. Died, May 6, 2023, Manhattan. New Yorker work: August 23, 1969 -. Other than his work in The New Yorker Gross is probably best known for his work in National Lampoon. He’s edited a large number of collections, including Dogs Dogs Dogs, Cats Cats Cats, Food Food Food: A Feast of Great Cartoons (originally published as All You Can Eat: A Feast of Great Cartoons); Golf Golf Golf, Ho! Ho! Ho!, Movies Movies Movies. Key collections: I Am Blind and My Dog is Dead (Avon, 1978), An Elephant is Soft and Mushy (Avon, 1982)