Sale of Original New Yorker Art @ WHS, Fri. April 25

Readers of the New Yorker will have a chance to own a piece of the magazine's history at the sale of original New Yorker cover art and cartoons Friday, April 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Westport Historical Society, 25 Avery Place, Westport. The artworks belong to a local couple and their sale complements the Society's current exhibit of New Yorker cover art by Westport-Weston area residents. That exhibit, titled "Cover Story: The New Yorker in Westport," runs through July 5th in the Society's Sheffer Gallery.

"This is a wonderful addition to the current exhibit and continues to celebrate artists who graced New Yorker covers with their talent," said Susan Gold, Executive Director of the Historical Society. Speaking of the local couple, who wished to remain anonymous, Gold said, "We are grateful to them for thinking of us." A portion of the proceeds from the sale will help support future Society exhibits, she added.

The sale art includes three covers by the late Charles E. Martin and five cartoons by various artists, all from the late 1970s and early 80s. It was collected by a New York City equities manager who was a devoted reader of the New Yorker. When he died 14 years ago, his son inherited the collection.

"The artworks capture a feel for New York of the 70s," said the collector's son. He added that his father, a Yale graduate with a self-deprecating sense of humor, especially enjoyed the way several of the cartoons "poked fun at the affluent."

In a note to the Historical Society, the collector's daughter-in-law wrote: "The artwork for the three covers in the collection represent areas of the city that my father-in-law adored. The Fifth Avenue cover is particularly meaningful as he lived on Fifth Avenue directly across the street from this sidewalk scene with The Metropolitan Museum in the background. What's interesting to note is that in the original the artist painted people sitting on the benches. In the published cover, the people sitting on the benches were removed." The other covers show Belvedere Castle in Central Park and rowboats stacked at the Boat House, also in Central Park.

Martin, who died in 1995, created 187 published New Yorker covers from 1938-1986, plus some that were submitted but not used. The biography on the artist's website says: "Charlie loved New York. In good weather he would walk from East 88th Street to his studio on 53rd Street, and spent countless hours wandering the streets with a sketchbook, jotting down ideas, capturing scenes and places, people and events that would otherwise be lost."

One of the five cartoons is by Peter Arno, who also contributed illustrations and covers to the New Yorker from its founding in 1925 until his death in 1968. It shows a well-dressed older gentleman with a buxom younger woman on his arm. They are walking on a city sidewalk when they encounter an older woman who knows the man. "Why, George Carter, what brings you to town?" she asks.

There is no charge to attend but reservations are required. To reserve, please call 203-222-1424.