The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists has released the following statement regarding the loss of the much loved Tony Auth.
Tony Auth?s colleagues and friends in the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists are profoundly saddened by his death.
Tony was one of a small handful of that magnificent generation of 1960s and 1970s cartoonists who re-created what we do today. A brilliant, original editorial cartooning voice is gone.
Tony?s drawing style was unique. The fluidity, grace, and simplicity of his line was a marvel, and his strong editorial positions stood out for four decades. There was no mistaking an Auth cartoon for others, ever.
A master of irony and juxtaposition, Tony won the 1976 Pulitzer Prize, along with many other national awards during his long tenure at The Philadelphia Inquirer. He was generous with his time with younger cartoonists, and pursued many different artistic avenues of expression, from comics to books, with an enviable grace and ease. Tony?s style flowed from his very loosely constructed roughs, which he tried to keep as close to the original drawing as possible through a light table. The result was an inimitable look admired universally by his peers.
The AAEC family extends its deepest condolences to Tony?s wife Eliza and his two daughters, to whom he was devoted.
Great tribute. Tony was one of the few cartoonists I never met (never met Mike Peters either). I was a huge fan. I didn’t see his work distributed that much so at times I’d forget he was out there. Then I’d check out his work from time to time and think to myself “how come I don’t read him everyday?”
He didn’t draw obvious cartoons. He had simple artwork with heavy messages. The man was a genius.
I’m afraid a lot of today’s cartoonists and up and coming cartoonists aren’t aware of his work. His archives will school most of today’s working cartoonists.
It sounds like he was a great guy. I’m sorry I never got to talk to him.