Roadside Picnic
The inscribed greeting and double signatures below this sketch of a man drawing and woman reading near their sedan indentify the figures as the Scottish artist McBey and his young American wife Marguerite, a photographer and bookbinder. The likely recipient was the etcher John Taylor Arms, who donated the drawing to the Museum. During the Second World War the McBeys were unable to return to their London home and made a cross-country trip. The open plain and straight road receding towards mountains shown here suggest a western site.
Artwork Details
- Title: Roadside Picnic
- Artist: James McBey (British, Newburgh 1883–1959 Tangier)
- Inscriber: Signed by Marguerite McBey (American, Philadelphia 1905–1999 London)
- Date: 1931–50
- Medium: Graphite
- Dimensions: sheet: 4 3/4 x 6 7/8 in. (12 x 17.4 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Gift of the Estate of John Taylor Arms, 1955
- Object Number: 55.621.94
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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