Humorous Comic Fat Lady Postcards by Donald McGill From the Early 20th Century

Donald McGill (January 28, 1875 – Oct 13, 1962) was an English graphic artist whose title has develop into synonymous with the style of saucy postcards, notably connected with the seaside (though they ended up marketed in the course of the British isles).

The playing cards mainly attribute an array of eye-catching younger females, fat old women, drunken middle-aged gentlemen, honeymoon couples and vicars. He has been termed “the king of the saucy postcard,” and his work is gathered and appreciated for his artistic skill, its electric power of social observation and earthy feeling of humor. Even at the height of his fame he only attained 3 guineas a design and style, but today his first artwork can fetch countless numbers of lbs.

h/t: vintag.es

McGill expended just about the complete of his profession generating the distinctive colour-washed drawings which were then reproduced as postcards. He rated his output according to their vulgarity as delicate, medium and sturdy, with sturdy staying much the most effective sellers. His loved ones, having said that, was steadfastly respectable. He claimed of his two daughters, “They ran like stags anytime they handed a comic postcard store.”

During the Initially Earth War he produced anti-German propaganda in the form of humorous postcards. They reflected on the war from the impression, as he saw it, of the adult men serving, and the realities dealing with their family members at home. Playing cards working with the so-named “home front” included difficulties this sort of as rationing, house company, war profiteers, spy scares and interned aliens. Recruitment and “slackers” have been other subjects coated.

In 1941, creator George Orwell wrote an essay on McGill’s work entitled “The Art of Donald McGill”. Orwell concluded that in spite of the vulgarity and the small creative merits of the cards, he would be sorry to see them go.

Approaching 80, McGill fell foul of quite a few community censorship committees, which culminated in a important demo in Lincoln on July 15, 1954 for breaking the Obscene Publications Act 1857. He was observed responsible and fined £50 with £25 charges. The wider outcome was a devastating blow to the saucy postcard field a lot of postcards have been ruined as a consequence, and stores cancelled orders. Various of the smaller sized companies were manufactured bankrupt, as they had traded on incredibly tiny margins.

In the late 1950s, the level of censorship eased off and the industry recovered. In 1957, McGill gave proof just before a Residence of Commons find committee established up to amend the 1857 Act.

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