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J.C. Leyendecker: America's
"Other"Illustrator
November 1, 2008 - January 11,
2009
Before Norman Rockwell
became famous, there was J. C. Leyendecker -- the nation's most popular
and successful commercial artist of the first four 
decades
of the twentieth century. Opening on November 1, 2008, the Morris Museum
of Art exhibits J.C. Leyendecker: America's "Other"Illustrator
-- more than fifty paintings, sketches, original magazine covers, and
advertisements by Leyendecker from the collection of the Haggin Museum in
Stockton, California. (right: J. C. Leyendecker, Kuppenheimer
Suits Advertisement,1918. The Haggin Museum, Stockton, California)
"Leyendecker's popularity and commercial success,
especially at the Saturday Evening Post, resulted directly from his
uncanny talent for conveying the spirit of daily life in early twentieth-century
America through works of art that incorporated a wide range of emotions,
from patriotism to whimsy," commented Jay Williams, curator of the
Morris Museum of Art.
The paintings in this exhibition are part of The Haggin
Museum's permanent holdings, and they represent one of the largest collections
of original work by Leyendecker in the country. The Leyendecker collection
was assembled in the 1950s by former museum director Earl Rowland, following
the artist's death. The works were donated by the artist's sister, Miss
Augusta Leyendecker, B. Kuppenheimer & Company, the Interwoven Sock
Company, and Kellogg's. Additional work was purchased through the
Bordas Gallery in New Rochelle, New York.
The exhibition remains on view at the Morris through January
11, 2009. This is its last appearance as part of an eight-city, two-and-a-half
year, national tour. The tour was developed and managed by Smith Kramer
Fine Art Services, an exhibition tour development company in Kansas City,
Missouri.
Artist biography
Born at Montabaur in Southwest Germany, Joseph Christian
Leyendecker came to America with his parents in 1882. The family settled
in Chicago. Recognizing their son's artistic abilities, his parents allowed
him to apprentice at the Chicago engraving house of J. Manz and Company,
where he eventually advanced to a full-time position as staff artist. At
night, he attended classes at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
under the direction of John H. Vanderpoel.
In September 1896 Leyendecker left Chicago to study in
Paris for two years at the Academie Julian and Colarossi's, two of that
city's most celebrated art schools. The internationally famous salon painter
Adolphe William Bouguereau, as well as the highly regarded instructors Benjamin
Constant and Jean-Paul Laurens at the Academie, recognized Leyendecker's
talent and gave him an opportunity to display his work in a solo exhibition
at the Salon Champs du Mars-a breakaway exhibition organized by some of
the more important artists of France, such as Puvis de Chavannes and Auguste
Rodin, who were younger and more progressive, but generally not as radical
as the Impressionists. (left: J. C. Leyendecker, The Saturday
Evening Post, Queen of Spring, May 23, 1931. The Haggin Museum,
Stockton, California)
Walking the streets of Paris, ablaze with the vibrant poster
art of Jules Chéret, Alphonse Mucha, and Henri de Toulouse Lautrec,
Leyendecker came to the realization that a talented artist could earn both
critical acclaim and monetary reward as a commercial illustrator. While
still in Paris he began illustrating covers for the Chicago-based magazine,
The Inland Printer.
Leyendecker returned to Chicago in the summer of 1897 and
illustrated his first cover artwork for Collier's magazine a year
later. Over the next ten years, he produced forty-seven more. Just before
the turn of the century, he received a commission to produce an image for
the cover of The Saturday Evening Post, the first of three hundred
and twenty-two covers he produced for the magazine between 1899 and 1943
-- more than any other artist, including Norman Rockwell.
In 1905, Leyendecker received what was arguably his most
important commission. He was hired by Cluett, Peabody & Company to develop
a series of images of the Arrow Brand of shirt collars. Leyendecker's "Arrow
Collar Man," as well as the images he later created for Kuppenheimer
Suits and Interwoven Socks, came to define the fashionable American male
during the early decades of the twentieth century. The "Arrow
Collar Man" received more fan mail from women and young girls than
most film and stage actors of the day.
Another important commission for Leyendecker was from Kellogg's,
the breakfast food manufacturer. As part of a major advertising campaign,
he created a series of twenty "Kellogg's Kids" to promote Kellogg's
Corn Flakes. These images of babies, small children, and teenagers
are as winsome and winning today as when they were created more than ninety
years ago.
By the 1940s, his popularity had begun to wane. During
World War II, he produced war posters for the Armed Services, as he had
also during World War I, some calendar illustrations, and cover work for
William Randolph Hearst's American Weeklymagazine, but not much else.
Though busy, he was hardly omnipresent, as he seemed to be in earlier years.
In 1951, at the age of 77, Leyendecker suffered a heart attack and died
at his home/studio in New Rochelle, New York.
(above: J. C. Leyendecker, Kellogg's Kid, Girl About
8-10, 1916. The Haggin Museum, Stockton, California)
Related programming
- Thursday, November 6, 6:00 p.m.
- Public Exhibition Opening: J. C. Leyendecker: America's
"Other" Illustrator. Terry Brown, collection consultant at
the Norman Rockwell Museum, discusses the artist's life and work. Free.
-
- Sunday, November 9, 2:00 p.m.
- Film Screening: J. C. Leyendecker: The Great American
Illustrator. Free.
Checklist: December 19, 2006
-
- 1. Frank Xavier Leyendecker, Portrait of J.C.'s Brother
- 1896
- oil on canvas
- 1953.53.37
- Unframed: 38 _ x 27 _" Framed: 42 x 31 x 2"
-
-
- ILLUSTRATIONS (painted originals):
-
- 2. People's Bible History
- Cover
- 1893
- watercolor
- 1953.53.52.1
- Unframed: 12 x 8 _" Framed: 21 _ x 39 x 1 _"
- framed with #3, #4
-
- 3. People's Bible History
- Return of the Prodigal Son
- 1893
- ink wash
- 1953.53.52.2
- Unframed: 9 x 10 _" Framed: 21 _ x 39 x 1 _"
- framed with #2, #4
-
- 4. People's Bible History
- Rebekah at the Well
- 1893
- ink wash
- 1953.53.52.3
- Unframed: 9 _ x 7 _" Framed: 21 _ x 39 x 1 _"
- framed with #2, #3
-
-
- POSTERS (painted images and posters):
-
- 5. Admiral Stark
- 1944
- oil on canvas
- 2004.9.1
- Unframed: 34 1/8 x 26" Framed: 37 _ x 29 _ x 1 _"
-
- 6. Claire Chennault of the WWII Flying Tigers
- 1944
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Elizabeth and David Rea
- 1955.35.4
- Unframed: 20 1/8 x 16 _" Framed: 23 _ x 19 _ x 1 _"
-
- 7. Enlist Today, US Marines, Stockton
- 1918
- ink on paper
- 1952.58.6
- Unframed: 25 _ x 15 _" Framed: 33 _ x 24 x 1 1/8"
-
- 8. Advertisement for Chicago Evening Post
- 1898
- ink on paper
- 1952.58.7
- Unframed: 21 _ x 16 _" Framed: 30 x 24 _ x 1 _"
-
- 9. The Intelligent Baby
- 1899
- ink on paper
- 1952.58.9
- Unframed: 20 x 13" Framed: 28 _ x 21 _ x 1 _"
-
- 10. Weapons for Liberty
- 1917
- ink on paper
- 1952.58.11
- Unframed: 29 _ x 19 _" Framed: 38 _ x 28 _ x 1 _"
-
-
- ADVERTISEMENTS (original paintings):
-
- 11. Arrow Collar Study
- 1923
- oil on canvas [not stretched]
- 2004.9.2
- Unframed: 15 x 9 _" Framed: 23 3/8 x 17 3/8 x 1 _"
-
- 12. Kuppenheimer Suits Advertisement, Man & Porter
- 1921
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by The Men's Wearhouse
- 1952.12.2
- Unframed: 27 _ x 20 _" Framed: 31 _ x 24 _ x 2"
-
- 13. Kuppenheimer Suits Advertisement
- 1918
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by The Men's Wearhouse
- 1952.12.3
- Unframed: 28 x 21 1/8" Framed: 32 3/8 x 25 _ x 1 5/8"
- (There is a 5 x 7" wall label with this image and other half of
diptych for comparison)
-
- 14. Man in Long Underwear
- 1915
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Lynne Temme and Barbara Bahler
- X1972.138
- Unframed: 42 1/8 x 24 1/8" Framed: 45 3/8 x 27 3/8 x 2"
-
- 15. Advertisement for Interwoven Socks
- circa 1922-1923
- oil on canvas
- 1953.38.1
- Unframed: 36 3/4 x 28 1/4" Framed: 41 x 32 _ x 2"
-
- 16. Kellogg's Kid, Boy About 8-10
- 1915
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Haggin Social Club
- X1972.176
- Unframed: 16 _ x 16 _" Framed: 20 3/8 x 20 _ x 1 _"
-
- 17. Kellogg's Kid, Boy about 5-6
- 1916
- oil on canvas
- X1972.179
- Unframed: 16 x 13 5/8" Framed: 20 _ x 18 x 1 _"
-
- 18. Kellogg's Kid, Boy About 5-7
- 1917
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by John and Helen Talbot
- X1972.177
- Unframed: 15 7/8 x 13 3/8" Framed: 20 _ x 18 _ x 1 _"
-
- 19. Kellogg's Kid, Girl About 12
- 1917
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Junior Women's Group
- X1972.166
- Unframed: 25 1/8 x 18 _" Framed: 29 _ x 23 x 1 _"
-
- 20. Kellogg's Kid, Teen Boy
- 1916
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Junior Women's Group
- X1972.167
- Unframed: 20 3/8 x 15 1/8" Framed: 24 3/8 x 19 _ x 1 5/8"
-
- 21. Kellogg's Kid, Girl About 8-10
- 1916
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Junior Women's Group
- X1972.168
- Unframed: 17 x 16 1/8" Framed: 21 _ x 20 _ x 1 _"
-
- 22. Kellogg's Kid, Boy About 2
- 1915
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Junior Women's Group
- X1972.170
- Unframed: 18 x 15 3/8" Framed: 22 _ x 19 _ x 1 _"
-
- 23. Kellogg's Kid, Teenage Girl
- 1915
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Junior Women's Group
- X1972.171
- Unframed: 18 1/8 x 17 _" Framed: 22 _ x 22 x 1 _"
-
- 24. Kellogg's Kid, Boy About 5-6
- 1915
- oil on canvas
- X1972.172
- Unframed: 15 7/8 x 15 _" Framed: 20 _ x 19 _ x 1 _"
-
- 25. Kellogg's Kid, Girl About 6-7
- 1917
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Junior Women's Group
- X1972.173
- Unframed: 15 5/8 x 14 1/8" Framed: 20 x 18 _ x 1 _"
-
- 26. Kellogg's Kid, Baby in Highchair
- 1915
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Junior Women's Group
- X1972.174
- Unframed: 16 5/8 x 16" Framed: 20 7/8 x 20 3/8 x 1 _"
-
- 27. Kellogg's Kid, Boy Scout
- 1917
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Philip and Anne Berolzheimer
- X1972.175
- Unframed: 17 x 15 _" Framed: 21 _ x 19 _ x 1 _"
-
- 28. Kellogg's Kid, Girl About 4-5
- 1916
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored in memory of Susan E. Moore by Philip and Anne
Berolzheimer
- X1972.178
- Unframed: 16 x 14 3/8" Framed: 20 _ x 18 _ x 1 _"
-
- 29. Kellogg's Kid, Baby Wearing Bib
- 1915
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Junior Women's Group
- X1972.169
- Unframed: 15 _ x 14 1/8" Framed: 20 _ x 18 _ x 1 _"
-
-
- MAGAZINE COVERS (original paintings and magazines):
-
- 30. Collier's Cover, Admiral Togo
- September 3, 1904
- oil on canvas
- 1955.35.3
- Unframed: 27 1/8 x 19 _" Framed: 31 _ x 23 _ x 2"
-
- 31. The Popular Magazine Cover, Out or Safe?
- May 1910
- oil on canvas
- 1955.35.5
- Unframed: 30 1/8 x 21 1/8" Framed: 33 _ x 24 3/8 x 1 _"
-
- 32. Collier's Cover, Policeman and Racecar
- January 8, 1916
- oil on canvas
- X1972.157
- Unframed: 27 1/8 x 19" Framed: 31 _ x 23 3/8 x 1 _"
-
- 33. The Saturday Evening Post, Airships Circling Baby New Year
- January 2, 1932
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Mrs. Robert N. McKee
- © Curtis Publishing, Inc.
- X1972.156
- Unframed: 32 1/8 x 24" Framed: 35 3/8 x 27 _ x 1 _"
-
- 34. The American Weekly, New Year's Baby 1950
- January 1, 1950
- oil on canvas
- Conservation sponsored by Robert and Marie Whittington
- 1954.62
- Unframed: 32 x 23 1/8" Framed: 36 x 27 _ x 1 _"
-
- 35. The Saturday Evening Post, St. Valentine, 1924
- February 16, 1924
- oil on canvas
- 1957.2
- Unframed: 27 7/8 x 20 7/8" Framed: 32 _ x 25 _ x 1 _"
-
- 36. The Saturday Evening Post, Older Woman Chasing Cupid on
Leap Year Day
- February 29, 1908
- oil on canvas