Denys Wortman - Metropolitan Movies - Kids and Football - Army and Notre Dame - 1936

I've always loved Denys Wortman's work, but have found very little of it surface over the years. Wortman was out of the Ashcan school of art, and his drawings were typically filled gritty line work and atmosphere. He drew the feature Metropolitan Movies for the World-Telegram for 30 years. His most well known characters were Mopey Dick and the Duke, two street gents who spent the depression era living in Hoover camps, or squatting wherever they could. Mopey Dick and the Duke were often Wortman's foils to make social commentary, but even when the two characters were not present in Metropolitan Movies, Wortman would often use the feature in this fashion. This piece really contains all that I love about Denys Wortman's work: that rough Ashcan style of drawing, combined with a humorous city theme. The drawing of the kids is just wonderful, as is the El that runs overhead. The cars parked on the street are beautifully drawn as well. Then comes the gag, which reads: "You're Army and we're Notre Dame." It really doesn't get any better than this. I can imagine my father, who would've been five at the time, in this group on the streets of Brooklyn. If he wasn't playing stickball, that is. The artwork is dated 11/27/36.