Design and Art Australia Online

cartoonist and illustrator, was living in Victoria in June 1907 when she entered the national competition for a poster to advertise the Women’s Work Exhibition, to be held in Melbourne later that year. She won second prize for her design, runner-up to Helen Atkinson . The artist was apparently connected with George Treeby (’ G. Bron’ ), the chief cartoonist on Melbourne Punch 1896-98, and presumably also with Sid Treeby who, like her, contributed to the Bulletin in the early 1900s. Both Treebys contributed to the Sydney Bulletin .

Mab Treeby had cartoons of contemporary social life published from early in the century. One about two silly women at a seance (reproduced Heritage & included in SLNSW b/w exhibition cat. 242) was drawn when she was living in North Kensington, West Melbourne. She submitted it along with another well-drawn, stylish image of two fashionably-dressed women at the races (’“Has he lost his heart to her?”/ “His head I fancy”’). The pair were marked 'paid’ in 1909 (original ML). Both are in a detailed, naturalistic style, equally suitable for the story illustrations the Bulletin ran concurrently with its cartoons.

The majority of Mab Treeby’s known Bulletin cartoons, however, were drawn in the 1920s-early 1930s after she had moved to Sydney (as did George Treeby, according to Moore). They continued to feature smart society women making vapid wisecracks, eg 'Kitty: “I’d hate it to be said that I’m marrying Tony for his money.”/ Katty: “Oh, he’ll keep it quiet”’ 1922 (ill. Vane Lindsay); The Troubles of Matrimony , published 29 January 1930; and Clearing for Action (mistress hiding the crockery before giving the maid the sack), published 18 February 1931.

Writers:

Kerr, Joan

Date written:

1995

Last updated:

1992