The Fine Line of John McCutcheon
McCutcheon: Chronicles of a Changing World /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
The images in today's post come from an exhibit at Chicago's Cultural Center we
recently went to see, showcasing the work of artist, author, and social commentator John T. McCutcheon.
Chronicles of a Changing World /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
McCutcheon was a cartoonist, and although you may not think of someone who draws
cartoons as an artist, I hope to dispel that myth with this small sample of McCutcheon's work. His mastery of line, drawn with a quill pen, and his talent as a storyteller in ink, is awesome.
Chronicles of a Changing World /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
He started his professional career at the Chicago Record in 1889, and moved to the
offices of the Chicago Tribune in 1903, where he completed and published thousands of drawings until his retirement from the paper 43 years later. One of his more popular series was the Bird Center Cartoons, which depicted a number of wonderfully rendered characters living life in a small, imaginary town.
Bird Center Cartoons, John T. McCutcheon, Chicago Cultural Center exhibit, The Cartoons of John T. McCutcheon:
Chronicles of a Changing World /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
McCutcheon was not only a great draftsman, he also knew how to tell a good story.
Apparently, readers could not wait until the next installment of the cartoon to find out what their favorite character was up to, and hunt for The Mysterious Stranger, a forerunner of Waldo, of Where's Waldo fame. I primarily knew McCutcheon's name because of an illustration he created which accompanied the poem, Injun Summer. The piece first appeared in the Chicago Tribune on September 30, 1907, and ran every fall in the Trib from 1912 until 1992. After seeing this exhibit, the paper should have rerun the Bird Center series. Maybe they could revive the cartoon online as part of the Trib's web page, which could use McCutcheon's help.
Passes On, 1927, original drawing, John T. McCutcheon, Chicago Cultural Center exhibit, The Cartoons of John T. McCutcheon: Chronicles of a Changing World /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
Early in his career McCutcheon was afraid of being pigeonholed as a cartoonist and not
being taken seriously as an artist. He completed the drawing of "Belle" in 1897, for his close friend George Ade's serialized stories, Pink Marsh, in an attempt to break out of his cartoonist mold. And although McCutcheon may have considered "Belle" art, I find the cartoon he drew 30 years later just as accomplished.
He won a Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning in 1932, and although he died in 1949, the
power of his work has not diminished with the passing of time.
If you're visiting the city, or live here, the exhibit is on display through September 29th.
I think it would be worth your while to stop by the Cultural Center and take a look at the work of this inspirational artist - and, it's free!
Posted by designslinger at 7/20/2009 2:11 AM 
Categories: Art
Tags: cartoons Chicago Cultural Center George Ade
Categories: Art
Tags: cartoons Chicago Cultural Center George Ade
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