Name/Title
Alexander Graham Bell's First TryEntry/Object ID
2026.11.0001Description
Oil on canvas painting by Jeff MacNelly rendered in the artist's distinctive editorial cartoon style. The humorous composition imagines Alexander Graham Bell's first attempt at inventing the telephone, depicting the inventor seated in a chair as he leans toward an improvised device consisting of an electrified light bulb connected by wires. A speech balloon containing the single word, 'Hello?' captures Bell's tentative greeting. MacNelly caricatures Bell with exaggerated facial features and a relaxed, slightly awkward posture, emphasizing the artist's signature blend of wit and expressive draftsmanship.Type of Painting
EaselCollection
Art CollectionMade/Created
Artist Information
Artist
MacNelly, JeffRole
ArtistDate made
circa 1997Time Period
20th CenturyInscription/Signature/Marks
Type
SignatureLocation
Lower Right CornerTranscription
MacNelly '97 KWLanguage
EnglishMaterial/Technique
PaintedLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
PaintingNomenclature Class
ArtNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsDimensions
Height
18 inWidth
24 inDepth
3/4 inCondition
Reason for Exam
At AcquisitionOverall Condition
Good