For over six decades, Edward Koren’s distinctive hirsute and anthropomorphic creatures made him one of The New Yorker’s most instantly recognizable and beloved cartoonists. From cultural trends to social dynamics to his deeply held concerns about the environment, Koren playfully documented a seemingly endless parade of human folly.

Koren’s New Yorker work has always been more about a sensibility than a punchline. Forests, living rooms, a windblown lake—everything on his page teems with life. His characters are gleefully foolish and bemused. They are world-weary and cranky but not caustic; clueless perhaps, but rarely mean-spirited. Koren may have had his doubts about humanity in general but his genuine affection for people and the communities he wryly observed is evident in every drawing.

This retrospective of Koren’s work for The New Yorker showcases a selection of original drawings from his published cartoons, along with a small fraction of the thousands of preliminary sketches he regularly submitted to the magazine. Also featured are drawings Koren created for Vermont organizations he supported,  all reflecting his strong sense of community. Curated by James Sturm.