An outstanding illustrator.

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Leyendecker’s art accompanying the above.

The Chicago men’s clothing store of B. Kuppenheimer, the creation of Bernard Kuppenheimer in 1876, folded in 1997 when starched collars and creased trousers gave way to torn tee shirts and tattoos. During much of its early years Kuppenheimers resorted to the art work of J C Leyendecker of New York to help sell its clothing and the art Leyendecker provided was never less than exceptional.

Another Kuppenheimer example.

The supremely elegant models, Borzoi included, are rendered in strong brushstrokes reminiscent of Van Gogh or the Fauves, the gazes direct, the composition tight.

While marketing increasingly turned to photography for its images after WWII – cheaper, more choice for editors – the era of style and class created by illustrators prior to that time has rarely been equaled in photographs. And certainly the period work of Leyendecker has not been matched.

Little is known or remembered of the artist today, who lived from 1874 to 1951. There is one splendid monograph on his work at Amazon:

Click for Amazon.

There is some unadulterated BS about how Leyendecker’s homosexuality infused his imagery. Utter nonsense. Look for yourself.

Leyendecker illustrated hundreds of Saturday Evening Post covers (322, to be exact, one more than Rockwell) and his successor, Norman Rockwell, copied many of the themes, though the target demographic was poorer and lower. Populism replaced sophistication. All of Leyendecker’s 322 SEP covers are reproduced in the book.

Other prominent Leyendecker clients include Arrow collars and shirts (pretty much defunct by acquisition in 2004) and Interwoven Socks, now owned by an Italian conglomerate.

One of Leyendecker’s many takes on Thanksgiving,
American Weekly, November 18, 1945.

Feast your eyes on Leyendecker’s work for these manufacturers:

These are mostly from the Roaring Twenties.

These images harken back to a world when young men attended the Ivy League, their future spouses went to Bryn Mawr, legacy admissions were the done thing and equality had yet to rear its ugly head.

Enjoy.

French fauve painter.

For an index of articles on art illustrators, click here.

The Fauves (‘wild beasts’) were a collection of early 20th century painters who emphasized color over form. While Derain and Matisse are the most well known members of the group my personal favorite is Raoul Dufy (1877-1953) for the sheer joy and abandon he brings to his many paintings. In that regard, Dufy (‘Do-fee’) was happy to cross the barrier into commercialism, and his images feature to this day on anything from chocolate box covers to tea towels. That in no way minimizes their significance to a century hungry for visual arts in a world of growing advertising and marketing, all of this before photography became mainstream and inexpensive. Today, a Dufy could not pay the bills in a world where literally everyone owns a camera. In his abundant output he was a predecessor to the supreme commercial artist of the century, René Gruau.

Here are some favorites from his large body of work:

The influence of cubism is writ large.

A wonderful realization of Montmartre and Sacre Coeur.

The Riviera was a favorite venue.

Vive La France!