The Conversation

Peter Sheaf Hersey Newell was an American artist and writer. He created picture books and illustrated many children’s books. Newell also often illustrated the work of other authors such as Mark Twain en Lewis Carroll. However, Newell built his reputation in the 1880’s and 1890’s with his humorous drawings and poems, which appeared in “Harper’s Weekly”, “Harper’s Bazaar”, “Scribner’s Magazine”, “The Saturday Evening Post” and “Judge”. Newell’s painting depicts a conversation of a man with a well to do lady and her dog in a chauffeur driven automobile with an additional footman. The gentleman speaking to her is wearing a monocle but would seem to be her inferior. His nonchalant pose would like to suggest otherwise but the stern look on the lady’s face as she looks down on the gentleman seems to reveal the gentleman’s status.