Gluyas Williams was one of the original cartoonists featured in the New Yorker upon its launch, hand-picked by Harold Ross himself. Gluyas had a great, caricature-like style—he rapidly drew his characters initially in pencil, and then inked them over in a more careful stroke. During his career, Gluyas illustrated a dozen books published by his close friend and fellow Harvard Lampoon alum, Robert Benchley. This cartoon appeared in Benchley’s 1932 book “No Poems or Around the World Backwards and Sideways,” with the caption “The only trouble was that the cab hadn’t seen me hail it, and drove right by.” (Gluyas’s cartoon characters are said to have been modeled on Benchley. Google it—you’ll see the resemblance!)
This pristine piece comes in a simple narrow black frame measuring 11.25” x 9.5”. Close inspection reveals Gluyas’s signature technique: many fine pencil lines are visible around the black ink. To the reverse side is affixed an original note in the artist’s hand which accompanied the piece when he gifted it to a “Mr. Bliss.” (Handwriting at the foot of the reverse side identifies “Mr. Bliss” as “Bill Bliss,” but we have not been able to confirm that). The note references Paul Hollister, who was another classmate at Harvard.
Overall, a beautiful representation of Gluyas Williams’ work. This piece is close to a hundred years old, but doesn’t look a day over five! Get it while you can.
