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"Would this be a good moment to ask for a pay rise, sir?"

Drawing
2005 (made), 30/06/2005 (printed and published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This cartoon appeared in the Evening Standard on 30 June 2005, and is artist Marf's take on the current news story. As she describes it: 'The annual accounts of the Duchy of Cornwall reveal Prince Charles leading a life of abject luxury and privilege. It is commonly known that one of his servant's daily task is to squeeze the prince's toothpaste.'

'Marf' drew daily topical cartoons for the Evening Standard between March 2002 and August 2005, moving to the Londoner's Diary page in August 2003. The drawings cover key political and social issues of the period, providing a vivid and often hilarious response to the main news of the day. The Evening Standard is London's only evening newspaper, publishing up to five editions a day. In Marf's own words: 'The cartoonist needs to keep up with the rapid pace of event.'


Object details

Categories
Object type
Title"Would this be a good moment to ask for a pay rise, sir?" (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink on paper
Brief description
Cartoon, "Would this be a good moment to ask for a pay rise, sir?", by 'Marf' (Martha Richler), published in The Evening Standard, 13 February 2003; London.
Physical description
Black and white line drawn cartoon showing Prince Charles in his pyjamas, which have the Prince of Wales feathers monogram, standing in the bathroom, holding a newspaper with a headline about Prince Charles' accounts. A butler wearing black coat, tie and striped trousers, helps him put toothpaste onto his toothbrush and holds a towel over his arm. Behind them is another towel in a circular towel-holder. The towels have a monogram of two c's back to back and the image also features a glass with Prince of Wales feathers monogram. The caption is written on a strip of paper stuck onto the paper.

Some lines have been blocked out with liquid paper, and faint underdrawing can be seen.
Dimensions
  • Height: 29.6cm
  • Width: 21cm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • Thursday 30th June '05 (Written in pen top centre, the '05 written in pencil)
  • PRINCE / CHARLES / ACCOUNTS / REVEALED (Written as newspaper headline, part of image)
  • "Would this be a good / moment to ask / for a pay rise, sir?" (Written in pen across bottom; title to piece)
  • MARF (Artist signature written in pen bottom right of image, vertically)
  • [Please / follow my / line-breaks / for 3-line caption] (Written in pen to left of title)
  • [scan : / 3-line / = / 40 X 54 / mm] (Written in pen to right of title)
Credit line
Given by the artist
Object history
Donated by the artist.
Production
Attribution note: for publication in newspaper
Reason For Production: Commission
Subjects depicted
Summary
This cartoon appeared in the Evening Standard on 30 June 2005, and is artist Marf's take on the current news story. As she describes it: 'The annual accounts of the Duchy of Cornwall reveal Prince Charles leading a life of abject luxury and privilege. It is commonly known that one of his servant's daily task is to squeeze the prince's toothpaste.'

'Marf' drew daily topical cartoons for the Evening Standard between March 2002 and August 2005, moving to the Londoner's Diary page in August 2003. The drawings cover key political and social issues of the period, providing a vivid and often hilarious response to the main news of the day. The Evening Standard is London's only evening newspaper, publishing up to five editions a day. In Marf's own words: 'The cartoonist needs to keep up with the rapid pace of event.'
Collection
Accession number
E.352-2007

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Record createdApril 26, 2007
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