Composers of Musical Comedy

Datec. 1920

Artist Stuart Davis (American painter and printmaker, 1894–1964)

Illustration CitationThe Little Review, July-August 1920.

MediumBrush and ink on Strathmore laid paper

Dimensionssheet: 25 1/8 × 19 in. (63.8 × 48.3 cm)
support: 26 1/8 × 20 1/8 in. (66.4 × 51.1 cm)

Credit LineAcquisition Fund, 2023

Object number2023-59

On View

On view

ClassificationsDRAWING

Label TextDavis was a fan of modern music, including ragtime and jazz. Here he imagines a playful scene where composers write songs for a musical comedy. A mug of beer and a large jug labeled "ice water" lubricate the creative process in this Prohibition-era cartoon.