The Salmagundi Club is proud to present the 2nd Annual “Illustration Then and Now” juried exhibition, honoring both the Club’s storied illustrators of the past and the creative vitality of today. In its early years, the Club led a nomadic existence across various Greenwich Village locations as a sketch club, until settling in its Fifth Avenue townhouse. What remained consistent throughout its early history was a weekly ritual: members would select a subject to illustrate, then gather to critique, feast, and exchange ideas.

On December 27, 1878, the Club’s minutes record the chosen subject of “happy as a king.” When the following week lacked a quorum, members instead settled on “ “weirdness.” Since kings are not much in favor these days, this year’s exhibition will revive the theme of “weirdness” as a source of inspiration.