Summer
1959 · Watercolor and ink on paper
17 1/8 x 12 3/8" (43.4 x 31.4 cm)
Museum of Modern Art
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Mary Petty
Artist
Representation
None documented
1
Institutional Exhibitions
4
Works in Collection
11
Assets Indexed
0
Authority-backed Facts
0
Publications Referenced
70%
Profile Completeness
Cultural Positioning
Movements
No movements recorded
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Selected Institutional Exhibitions
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Extraordinary Women
Museum of Modern Art, New York
1977
About
Why this artist matters now
Mary Petty was an American cartoonist and illustrator known for her witty, precisely rendered drawings of domestic life and social manners. Working primarily in ink and watercolor for The New Yorker from the 1920s onward, she developed a distinctive style characterized by sharp observation of upper-middle-class rituals and absurdities. Her line work combined technical precision with satirical restraint, capturing awkward social moments and behavioral contradictions through minimal, elegant compositions. Petty's contributions to American humor and illustration spanned five decades, establishing her as a significant voice in twentieth-century cartooning.
Source: Moma Bulk 2026 05 04 · Trust score: 92% · Updated 25d ago
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Museum Collections
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Artworks (4)
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Institutional
Representation & Collections
In collection
Museum of Modern Art
New York, US
Record