Cartoon, "As long as they don't make it easy to get a table!" by 'Marf' (Martha Richler), published in The Evening Standard, 11 May 2005; London.

Black and white line drawn cartoon showing diners inside The Ivy restaurant. Two very fashionably dressed women sit at a dinner table by the chequered stained-glass window, which bears The Ivy sign. One wears a woven woollen(?) jacket with frayed cuffs, a drop earring, finger ring with large stone and a butterfly brooch and she holds a wine glass. The other wears a V-necked white top, diamond patterned thick belt and striped skirt. She has a pair of sunglasses pushed back over her hair and her handbag, which has zig-zag pattern and metal-looped handle, sits next to her. On the table is a newspaper with the headline 'Ivy for sale', two mobile phones and a wine glass. An elaborate flower arrangement can be seen to the right of the image, behind one of the women.

Some lines have been blocked out with liquid paper, and faint underdrawing can be seen. In places a new portion of drawing has been stuck over to replace a previous one.

Given by the artist

Donated by the artist.

Attribution note: for publication in newspaper
Reason For Production: Commission

This cartoon appeared in the Evening Standard on 11 May 2005, and is artist Marf's take on the current news story. As she describes it: 'The great London institution, The Ivy restaurant in Covent Garden, is up for sale, making the fashionable set shake in their stilettos.'

'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.'

E.361-2007