American Art Collaborative

Cape May, New Jersey, is among the oldest American seaside resorts, hosting vacationers from the mid-Atlantic region from the 18th century forward. In this drawing, Miller pokes gentle fun at leisure travelers. Two men seated on folding stools sit on the sand despite clouds of annoying insects. The caption reads: Consolation for the afflicted!-who cannot go to Cape May,-viz- "Can't get away Club", -"when there is a land breeze,-two gangs of mosquitoes are laid on!!-the wide-awake squad, reserved for the night!!!" Alfred Jacob Miller was a prolific sketcher. He filled many journals with drawings and captions from the time he was studying in Paris and Rome (1833) until the 1870's. The varied interests of Miller are clearly reflected in these sketches: rural sites, studies after Old Master paintings, illustrations of literature, and comical scenes and characters. This sketch comes from the family album of L. Vernon Miller, which contains works that have passed down through the Miller family directly from the artist.