Artwork

An Old Man Had Come out of One of the Houses, from "Not Honorably Discharged"

William Leroy Jacobs , 1904

An Old Man Had Come out of One of the Houses, from "Not Honorably Discharged" is a drawing by William Leroy Jacobs. It dates from 1904 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

An Old Man Had Come out of One of the Houses is a drawing by William Leroy Jacobs, created to illustrate Alice French's (pen name Octave Thanet) short story 'Not Honorably Discharged', published in Collier’s Fiction Number on May 14, 1904.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing centers on a solitary, older soldier clad in a black coat, set against a snowy backdrop. The composition emphasizes his respectability through attire, while his isolation from other unseen characters in the narrative is visually conveyed.

Technique & Style

Jacobs employs a stark contrast, with the subject's dark silhouette against a snowy landscape, drawing attention to the protagonist. The simplicity of the scene focuses viewer's attention on the old man's figure.

History & Provenance

Commissioned for 'Not Honorably Discharged', the piece was part of Collier’s Fiction Number (May 14, 1904), reflecting the magazine's role in supporting emerging artists and writers with illustrated short stories.

Context

Reflecting early 20th-century American life, the work is part of a broader trend where magazines like Collier’s provided a platform for artists to illustrate contemporary-themed literature, reaching a wide audience.