Request to view

This object can be requested via email from the Prints & Drawings Study Room

Image of Gallery in South Kensington

"You wouldn't BELIEVE the office politics around here!"

Drawing
2005 (made), 10/05/2005 (printed and published)
Artist/Maker
The Evening Standard (commissioned and published)
Richler, Martha (Marf) (artist)
Place of origin
London (made)

This cartoon appeared in the Evening Standard on 10 May 2005, and is artist Marf's take on the current news story. As she describes it: 'Grumbles about Tony Blair's leadership produce a wave of dissent from within the Labour government, as disenchanted "rebel" MPs call for Blair to step aside.'

'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
Drawings
Caricatures & Cartoons
Object type
Drawing
Title"You wouldn't BELIEVE the office politics around here!" (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink on paper
Pen and Ink
Paper
Drawn
Brief description
Cartoon, "You wouldn't BELIEVE the office politics around here!" by 'Marf' (Martha Richler), published in The Evening Standard, 10 May 2005; London.
Physical description
Black and white line drawn cartoon showing the inside of the office at No. 10 Downing Street. The office 'temp', acting for the PA is sitting behind the desk filing her nails and talking on the telephone, exclaiming about the 'office politics'. Her handbag and a takeaway capuccino sit on the desk on top of some papers. On her computer are some post-it notes with words showing increasing levels of urgency. Within a doorway leading to the Prime Minister's office stand three men whispering to each other. One holds a newspaper with the headline '"Blair must go "'.

Some lines have been blocked out with liquid paper, and faint underdrawing can be seen.
Dimensions
  • Height: 42cm
  • Width: 29.6cm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • TUESDAY 10th of MAY (Written in pen top centre)
  • "You wouldn't BELIEVE the / office politics around here!" (Written in pen across bottom; title to piece)
  • MARF (Artist signature written in pen bottom left of image, vertically)
  • PM's / OFFICE / [arrow pointing left] (Written on sign towards top left, part of image)
  • 'BLAIR / MUST GO' (Headline on newspaper, part of image)
  • [Please follow / my line-breaks / for 2-line / caption - thx!] (Written in pen to left of caption)
  • [2-line / = / 40 X 57 / mm] (Written in pen to right of caption)
  • No. 10 (On sign on wall towards right, part of image)
  • TEMP (On PA's name badge, part of image)
  • PA (On sign on desk, part of image)
  • now (on post-it note stuck to computer monitor, part of image)
  • URGENT! (on post-it note stuck to computer monitor, part of image)
  • asap (on post-it note stuck to computer monitor, part of image)
  • 7 [in circle] / 2005 (Written in black biro on transparent protective sheet, top right)
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
Men
Woman
Signs
Signs
Nail File
Telephone
Capuccino
Handbag
Papers
Shirts
Ties
Badges
Computer
Newspaper
Trousers
Desk
Notebook
Pen
Summary
This cartoon appeared in the Evening Standard on 10 May 2005, and is artist Marf's take on the current news story. As she describes it: 'Grumbles about Tony Blair's leadership produce a wave of dissent from within the Labour government, as disenchanted "rebel" MPs call for Blair to step aside.'

'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
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.360-2007

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMay 2, 2007
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O134408/you-wouldnt-believe-the-office-drawing-richler-martha-marf/
Download as: JSON