DATE OF ** ORIGINAL ** ADVERTISEMENT: 1924 COMPANY NAME: KEBO PRODUCT(S): ARROW COLLAR CITY / TOWN-STATE: OWNER: ENDORSER: ARTIST: LEYENDECKER
Joseph Christian Leyendecker(March 23, 1874 – July 25, 1951) was one of the most prominent and financially successful freelance commercial artists in the U.S. He was active between 1895 and 1951 producing drawings and paintings for hundreds of posters, books, advertisements, and magazine covers and stories. He is best known for his 80 covers forCollier'sWeekly, 322 covers forThe Saturday Evening Post, and advertising illustrations for B. Kuppenheimer men's clothing and Arrow brand shirts and detachable collars. He was one of the few known gay artists working in the early-twentieth century U.S.[1][2][3]
Early life[edit]
Leyendecker (also known as 'J. C.' or 'Joe') was born on March 23, 1874, inMontabaur,Germany, to Peter Leyendecker (1838–1916) and Elizabeth Ortseifen Leyendecker (1845–1905). His brother and fellow illustratorFrancis Xavier(aka "Frank") was born two years later. In 1882, the entire Leyendecker family immigrated toChicago, Illinois, where Elizabeth's brother Adam Ortseifen was vice-president of theMcAvoy Brewing Company. A sister, Augusta Mary arrived after the family immigrated to America.[2][3]
As a teenager, around 1890, J. C. Leyendecker apprenticed at the Chicago printing and engraving companyJ. Manz & Company, eventually working his way up to the position of staff artist. At the same time he took night classes at the school of theChicago Art Institute.[3]
After studying drawing and anatomy underJohn Vanderpoelat the Chicago Art Institute, J. C. and Frank enrolled in theAcadémie Julian[4]in Paris from October 1895 through June 1897. Upon their return to Chicago, the Leyendecker brothers took an apartment inHyde Park, Illinois. They also shared a studio inChicago's Fine Arts Buildingat 410 SouthMichigan Ave.
Career[edit]
J. C. Leyendecker had a long career that extended from the mid-1890s until his death in 1951. During that time he worked for a wide range of commercial, editorial and government clients.
Before 1902: Chicago and Paris[edit]
As a staff artist atJ. Manz & CompanyJ. C. Leyendecker produced 60 Bible illustrations for the Powers Brothers Company, cover and interior illustrations forThe Interiormagazine, and frontispiece art forThe Inland Printer.He also produced artwork for posters and book covers for the Chicago publisher E. A. Weeks.[5][6]He also provided artwork for a range of marketing materials for the Chicago men's clothierHart, Schaffner & Marx.[7]
While in Paris, J. C. Leyendecker continued providing art to Hart, Schaffner & Marx, produced artwork for 12 covers ofThe Inland Printer, and won a contest (out of 700 entries) for the poster and cover of the midsummer 1896 issue of TheCenturymagazine, which garnered national newspaper and magazine coverage.[1][2][3]
Upon his return from Paris in June 1897, Leyendecker illustrated for a range of mostly local clients including Hart, Schaffner & Marx, the Chicago department storeCarson, Pirie & Scott, theEastern Illinois Railroad, theNorthern Pacific Railroad,Woman's Home Companionmagazine, the stone cutter's trade journalStone,Carter'smonthly, the bird hobbyist magazineThe Osprey,and books includingConan Doyle'sMicah ClarkeandOctave Thanet'sA Book of True Lovers.[1][2]He also painted 132 scenes of America for L. W. Yaggy's laptop panorama of Biblical scenes titledRoyal Scrollpublished by Powers, Fowler & Lewis (Chicago).[8]
On May 20, 1899, Leyendecker received his first commission for a cover forThe Saturday Evening Postlaunching a forty-four-year association with the magazine. Eventually, his work would appear on 322 covers of the magazine, introducing many iconic visual images and traditions including the New Year's Baby, the pudgy red-garbed rendition ofSanta Claus, flowers forMother's Day, andfirecrackerson the4th of July.[1]
During the 1890s, Leyendecker was active in Chicago's arts community. He exhibited with and attended social events by thePalette and Chisel Club, theArt Students League, and theChicago Society of Artists. In December 1895, some of his posters were exhibited at the Siegel, Cooper & Company department store in Chicago. In January 1898 his posters for covers ofThe Inland Printerwere exhibited at the Kimball Cafetier (Chicago).[2][9]
During his 1895-97 time studying in Paris, J. C. Leyendecker's work won four awards at theAcadémie Julianand one of his paintings titled "Portrait of My Brother" was exhibited in theParis salonin 1897. One of his posters for Hart, Schaffner & Marx titled "The Horse Show" was exhibited as part of the award winning display of American manufacturers' posters at theExposition Universelle (1900)in Paris.[7]
After 1902: New York City and New Rochelle[edit]
After relocating to New York City in 1902, Leyendecker continued illustrating books, magazine covers and interiors, posters, and advertisements for a wide range of ever-larger and more-prominent clients.
His illustrations for men's product advertising, pulp magazines, and college posters earned him a reputation as specialist in illustrations of men.[10]Major clients included the Philadelphia suitmakerA. B. Kirschbaum,[7]Wick Fancy Hat Bands,[11]GilletteSafety Razors,[12]E. Howard & Co.watches,Ivory Soap,Williams Shaving Cream, KaroCorn Syrup,Kingsford's Corn Starch,Interwoven socks,B. Kuppenheimer & Co.,Cooper Underwear, andCluett Peabody & Company, maker of Arrow brand shirts and detachable shirt collars and cuffs.
The male models who appeared in Leyendecker's 1907-30 illustrations for Arrow shirt and collar ads were often referred to as "the"Arrow Collar Maneven though they were modeled by a number of different men, some of whom went on to successful careers in theater, film, and television. Some models includeBrian Donlevy,Fredric March,Jack Mulhall,Neil Hamilton,Ralph Forbes, andReed Howes.[13]
One of Leyendecker's most frequently used models was the Canadian-bornCharles A. Beach(1881–1954). Leyendecker met Beach in 1903 when Beach came to the artist's New York studio looking for modeling work.[14]Beach subsequently appeared in many of Leyendecker's illustrations and the two enjoyed a nearly 50-year professional and personal relationship. Many Leyendecker biographers have described that relationship as having a romantic and sexual dimension.[4][15][16][17]
Another important Leyendecker client wasKellogg'scereals. As part of a major advertising campaign, he painted a series of twenty different images of children eating Kellogg's Corn Flakes.[18]
During thefirst World WarandSecond World WarLeyendecker painted militaryrecruitment postersand war bonds posters for the U.S. government.
Decline of career[edit]
After 1930, Leyendecker's career began to slow, perhaps in reaction to the popularity of his work in the previous decade or as a result of the economic downturn following theWall Street Crash of 1929.
Around 1930-31,Cluett Peabody & Companyceased using Leyendecker's illustrations in its advertisements for Arrow collars and shirts. In 1936,George Horace Lorimer, the famous editor at theSaturday Evening Post, retired and was replaced by Wesley Winans Stout (1937–1942) and thenBen Hibbs(1942–1962), both of whom rarely commissioned Leyendecker to illustrate covers.[19]Leyendecker's last cover for theSaturday Evening Postwas of a New Year Baby for the January 2, 1943, issue.[20]
New commissions were fewer in the 1930s and 1940s. These included posters for theUnited States Department of War, in which Leyendecker depicted commanding officers of the armed forces encouraging the purchases ofbondsto support the nation's efforts inWorld War II.[19]
DATE PRINTED ON ITEM: YES ADVERT SIZE: APPROX- 10" x 13"ITEM GRADE: VERY GOOD
CONDITION: CLEAN, PERFECT FOR FRAMING AND DISPLAYING.
DESCRIPTION OF ITEM: A GREAT VINTAGE ORIGINAL ADVERTISEMENT FOR A HISTORICAL COMPANY AND/OR PRODUCT. ADVERTS ARE CAREFULLY REMOVED FROM MAGAZINE AND MAY BE TRIMMED IN PREPARATION FOR DISPLAYING. MARGINS ARE INCLUDED IN ADVERT SIZE.
**NOTE** : PAGES MAY SHOW AGE WEAR AND IMPERFECTIONS TO MARGINS, WITH CLOSED NICKS AND CUTS, WHICH DO NOT AFFECT AD IMAGE OR TEXT WHEN MATTED AND FRAMED.
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