A colleague at The New Yorker once suggested that, with the possible exception of poetry, James Stevenson could have produced the magazine single-handedly. As an artist, he published close to two thousand cartoons, dozens of covers, and innumerable spot drawings. As a writer, he contributed regularly to The Talk of the Town, and produced memorable longer pieces such as a straight-faced report on the production and marketing of peanut butter.
Jim’s interest in the arts extended well beyond the printed word: he was a passionate jazz buff. Although he never played an instrument, he and his close friend and fellow-cartoonist Frank Modell found another form of musical expression: tap dancing. Although they never appeared professionally, their impromptu performances outside their offices were wildly applauded and still echo down the corridors of The New Yorker today.
Here is a selection of Jim’s cartoons:
