Figure 1.--Perry Barlow's illustrations are primarily associated with the 'New Yorker' maazine, but here is a cover he drew for 'Life' in 1936. The drawing is charming, but it is also interesting for fashion and social insights. Modern readers will not quite undertand it becaise the short pants di not suggest winter which is only obvious besides being cooped up inide by the date on the cover. Short pnts in 1936 had not yet made the transition as casual ummer wear. Younger boys at the time might wear shorts year round. And this was especially the case with boys from well-to-do familes. Of course America at the time was still mired in the Depression. Most families were just concernbed with getting by and Caribbean cruises were were the lat thing on their minds.

Perry Barlow was born in McKinney, Texas (1894). He came to New York after World war I (1919). He sold illustrations the Judge and Life magazines. His career as an illustrator is strongly associated with the New Yorker. Barlow was best known for his satirical cartoons which fit in perfectly sith the New Yorker. He became a staff member on the New Yorker. He began doing New Yorker covers (1935). His covers and cartoon spanned a broad range from the political to the pretty picures. Humor was his forte. And we see this in his New Yorker work. His style has been clled minimalistic, but he managed to convey both attitude and humor in his work. His covers have a watercolor look to them. Chgildren were not amajor focus oif his work, but we do notice a 1936 Life cover showing a boy during the winter thinking about a Caribbean cruise.

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Created: 12:46 AM 3/5/2015
Last updated: 12:46 AM 3/5/2015