Mary Petty (1899–1976) was a self-taught, prolific illustrator of books and magazines whose works appeared regularly on the covers of The New Yorker. In total, Petty completed 273 drawings and 38 covers for the publication. Her work often depicted the New York elite, centering around the characters of the Peabody family including Mrs.Peabody and her maid, Fay. During her lifetime, Petty exhibited work both nationally and internationally. Today, her art resides in the permanent collection of several prestigious museums including the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Wichita Art Museum. The largest single collection of her work was gifted to Syracuse University by the artist.