Posters, The Sunday World, Art Nouveau, Antique Posters, 1890s

The Sunday World figures prominently in the history of the comics, with two major innovations. In 1889, under Pulitzer’s direction, it launched the first Sunday comics section, which proved an immediate success and circulation builder. In 1895, the paper debuted the first color comic strip, an episode in the series The Yellow Kid, by the innovative cartoonist Richard Felton Outcault (1863-1928). The following year, rival publisher William Randolph Hearst lured Outcault away by offering him more money. Pulitzer countered by hiring George Luks to continue the Yellow Kid series, and a legal battle ensued. The judge ruled that Outcault could draw what he wished, but the Sunday World retained the rights to the original name of the setting, “Hogan’s Alley,” and continued to publish and advertise its rival strip.

Another example of the January 19, 1896 poster offered here is also in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. That poster and one other in the museum’s collection are illustrated in David W. Kiehl’s book American Art Posters of the 1890s (1987, Items 3 and 4). The accompanying text reads: “Quite typical are the many weekly posters issued by the New York World, which combine a sprightly design printed in one or two colors with a listing of contents to the reader.” (p. 18) Numerous additional Sunday World posters identical to owns shown in here were subsequently purchased by the Metropolitan Museum for their collection from George Glazer Gallery.

Condition: Generally very good, with the usual overall toning, wear, soiling, soft creases, short marginal tears and chips. Images shown on web site are of pertinent part of poster, and exclude some borders, margins, and/or text.

References:

Kiehl, David W. American Art Posters of the 1890s. Harry N. Abrams, New York: 1987.

“R.F.Outcault.” Illustration House. http://www.illustration-house.com/bios/outcault_bio.html (13 December 2002).

Sunday Funnies LLC. http://sundayfunniesllc.com/Merchant2/articles/100th.htm (13 December 2002).