Brian Coppola :: Late 19th/Early-to-Mid 20th C cartoonists & illustrators

“Well, Dearie…” (ca. 1902) by Phil May

Artist: Phil May (All)

633 Views - 0 Comments - 1 Like

“Well, Dearie…” (ca. 1902) by Phil May Comic Art

Click Image to View Full Size

Additional Images:

detail

Previous Item:
“The Green-Eyed Monster” (1893) by Phil May

Next Item:
“Just About Married” (November 12, 1984) by Mischa Richter

Artwork Details

Title:	“Well, Dearie…” (ca. 1902) by Phil May
Artist:	Phil May (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Illustration
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	633
Likes on CAF:	1 2
Comments:	0
Added to Site:	5/19/2019
Comic Art Archive:

Description

“Well, Dearie…” (ca. 1902)
by Phil May (1865-1903)
12 x 10 in., ink on board

Phil May (1865-1903) was one of the greatest British cartoonists. He was an early recorder of the poorer class, frequently men, women and street urchins, or “Gutter Snipes” (for the latter), as his seminal book was titled. May came from poor beginnings. His father died when he was nine, and the family was destitute. At 17, he was living on the streets of London, got involved with the two things he knew: he was a costumer with the theater, and drew posters and cartoons. After 3 years in Australia, where he got noticed for his work in “The Bulletin,” and then spending a short while in parts of Europe, he returned to London in 1892, where his studies and depictions of the people on the streets gained him notice, and he worked exclusively for England's The Graphic and, also, Punch.

In his short but prolific life as a noted artist, he influenced the genre in his “economy of line,” moving the dark and heavy texture of Victorian era drawing to the more familiar outline methods we think of as cartooning. In the 10 years from 1892 to his death from tuberculosis in 1903, there were 5 published collections of his drawings, and another 3 that were issues posthumously.

From his early life, he knew fashion. Dress embellishment in the 1890s decreased significantly from that seen in the 1870s and 1880s. Upper class women, who had utilized excessive dress trimming to differentiate themselves from the middle and working classes, now chose instead to use expensive and fragile fabrics that would have been impractical for those without a great deal of disposable income.

This image comes late in his short life, displaying the matured cartoonish drawing style that he evolved (check out my other May for an 1893 drawing to compare). There are no markings here other than the signature, unfortunately.

Social/Sharing

About the Owner

	Brian Coppola Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	March 2009
Last Login:	January 2026
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Premium Member Q&A Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

Contact the Owner

Use can use a contact form to send an email to this gallery owner,
but, you must be logged in to use this feature.

Comments on this Artwork

You must be logged in to make comments.

All
	Greg McKee 1/24/2026 4:26:00 AM
	Brad Potts 1/24/2026 3:08:00 AM
	Dennis Books 1/24/2026 3:03:00 AM
	--J S-- 1/24/2026 2:40:00 AM
	Todd Warren 1/24/2026 2:34:00 AM
View All


	Pop Warner 1/24/2026 2:18:00 AM
	David Dias 1/24/2026 1:45:00 AM
	Miki Annamanthadoo 1/24/2026 1:42:00 AM
	Paul Biermann 1/24/2026 1:32:00 AM
	Bruce W 1/24/2026 12:30:00 AM