Edward Gorey: Serious Life: A Cruise Small Boxed Cards

Illustration by Edward Gorey (American, 1925–2000) from “Serious Life: A Cruise”

With his masterful pen-and-ink drawings and characteristic droll humor, Edward Gorey (American, 1925–2000) won critical acclaim and an avid worldwide following. During his prolific career, Gorey illustrated more than one hundred works and created prize-winning set and costume designs for Broadway shows.

His delightful tales and enigmatic drawings reflect a special kind of genius for what is left unwritten and unseen. One wonders what delicious chaos lurks beneath the off-kilter deck of “Serious Life: A Cruise,” an illustrated short story published in the New Yorker.