I have always been confused by the fact that many artists and musicians become the most famous after they are dead. As morbid as that sounds, it is often the truth. Artists such as Shakespeare, Picasso, and Beethoven were the most well known and appreciated only after they had died. I mention this because I came across a New York Times article talking about a forgotten cartoonist who has recently been rediscovered. Denys Wortman, who is no longer alive, contributed six cartoons a week to The New York World from 1924 to 1954. His drawings portrayed daily life in Gotham, and featured small clips of speech along with the sketches. These cartoons were adored for their seemingly simple nature, not over the top, and completely natural. Fellow cartoonist Jules Feiffer said about Wortman’s work, “His work didn’t seem studied. It was as if you were looking out the window — or my window in the Bronx.”
Click here to see a slideshow of some of Wortman’s cartoons!
However in 1958, Wortman passed away from a heart attack, and his work was virtually forgotten. The types of cartoons changed, and Wortman’s works just disappeared–that is until recently when graphic novelist James Sturm came across some of Wortman’s cartoons. Sturm, along with Wortman’s only son, set out on a mission to resurrect Wortman’s career. Just a few days ago at the Museum of the City of New York, a retrospective opened called “Denys Wortman Rediscovered: Drawings for The World-Telegram and Sun, 1930-1953.” Hopefully, this will encourage others to seek out and resuscitate the artwork and music of others long gone.
You can read the NY Times article here.
It is interesting to see how cartoons reflect the atmosphere of a particular time. Comedy, and in particular what a society thinks is funny, tells us a lot about the society. The adage “many a true word is spoken in jest” has been repeated and varied for a long time. Even Shakespeare said “jesters do oft prove prophets,” to indicate the power of comedy to articulate. The best comedy holds a mirror up to ourselves and makes us know ourselves, and laugh at the same time.