Daily Comic Strip Panel, "Embarrassing Moments," Original Art

Embarrassing Moments" Daily Comic Strip Panel, dated 12-25. Unsigned. Printed "1931 King Features Syndicate" strip is laid onto artwork at lower left before the "12-25" hand written date. The art measures 7 x 7 inches on drawing board measuring 8 1/4 x 8 1/4 inches. Artwork is in fine condition, margins lightly soiled with pencil docketing on lower margin. In 1910, Herriman launched "The Dingbat Family," later renamed "The Family Upstairs," for The New York Evening Journal, a Hearst paper. An interesting side note is that Herriman is credited with creating the word, "dingbat." The strip featured the adventures of an ordinary family dealing with their annoying upstairs neighbors. Herriman was the first to use the word "dingbat" to indicate a silly, empty-headed person. [see George Herriman biography on line] Krazy Kat and Ignatz Mouse began as space fillers for The Family Upstairs then expanded into their own comic strip. King Feature Syndicate owned by William Randolph Hearst supported Herriman's art throughout his career. Herriman's comics did not enjoy a mass following, but they were popular among an artistic and intellectual set [see George Herriman biography on line]. (Inventory #: 5006)