Saturday, May 5, 2018

Mischa Richter: Taking No Prisoners

Mischa Richter's New Yorker cartoon of June 12, 1989 has no shading at all and is therefore a wonderful example of just how good his pen and ink technique was. The business man in his well-tailored suit is tightly-rendered in profile and sharply-framed by the door while his wife, less well-defined in her loose-fitting clothing, stands in a three-quarter view partially hidden behind that door. The wall mirror serves to balance out the heads horizontally while the flower stand helps to define the perspective and lead the viewer's eye back to the figures. The busy lines on the carpet add texture. It is a closely-observed scene of a weekday morning ritual, disarmingly simple and elegant, and it all just seems so effortless!

Of course, it wasn't effortless at all. Mischa Richter distilled a lifetime's worth of artistic thought and technique into each drawing. The original art that was sold last year on eBay is so crisp and clean that onscreen it looks just like the published drawing save for the printer's guidelines. Richter's art has been consistently undervalued by the market; still he always brought a consummate yet understated skill to his work.


Mischa Richter
"Take no prisoners, dear."
Original art
The New Yorker, June 12, 1989, page


Mischa Richter
eBay Listing Ended October 16, 2017



Mischa Richter
eBay Item Description

Mischa Richter
eBay Bid History
Ten days, five bidders, seven bids, and in the end it all comes down to the final ten seconds.

Mischa Richter
"Take no prisoners, dear."
The New Yorker,
June 12, 1989, page 94

Mischa Richter
"Take no prisoners, dear."
Original art
The New Yorker,
 June 12, 1989, page 94

http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=1989-06-12#folio=094


Note:  Attempted Bloggery seeks scans and photographs of original published and unpublished artwork by Mischa Richter (1910-2001) and other New Yorker artists. Take no prisoners.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:


Mischa Richter

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