Me and Jack (1906)
Technique: Giclée quality print
Recommended by our customers
More about this artwork
John Samuel Pughe's fascinating illustration titled "Me and Jack" (1906) vividly portrays a satirical and imaginative scene featuring a large bear sitting pensively on a board extended over a tranquil lake. Clothed in striped shorts marked "Corrupt Business," the bear embodies a working man, caught in a moment of solitude and contemplation. Beside the bear, a small raccoon labeled "The Little Feller," representing perhaps a loyal friend or accomplice, shares this moment of quiet reflection.The backdrop is a serene lakeside during twilight, where the gentle colors of a setting sun paint the sky and water in soft hues of blue, pink, and lavender, contrasting starkly with the bold, caricatural forms of the bear and raccoon. The image, infused with a sense of melancholy and humor, subtly critiques themes of corruption and business, suggesting a deeper narrative about companionship and the burdens of societal roles.This piece is an excellent example of Pughe's ability to blend humor with social commentary, using vibrant illustrations to engage and provoke thought among viewers.
Delivery
Returns
John Samuel Pughe, was a Welsh-born American political cartoonist, best known for his illustrations for Puck magazine.
John Samuel Pughe was born in Dolgelley, Merionethshire, Wales, and brought to America by his parents when he was two years old. He studied art at Cooper Union.
J. S. Pughe illustrated news stories for the New York Recorder, Brooklyn Life, and the Brooklyn edition of the World as a young man. He began working at Puck magazine in 1894. He was a regular contributor there until his last cartoon for them, in December 1908.
Pughe died in 1909, age 38, at Lakehurst, New Jersey, where he had been spending several months to improve his health.