One of the most prolific and successful artists of the Golden Age of American Illustration, J. C. Leyendecker captivated audiences throughout the first half of the 20th century. Leyendecker is best known for his creation of the archetype of the fashionable American male with his advertisements for Arrow Collar. These images sold to an eager public the idea of a glamorous lifestyle, the bedrock upon which modern advertising was built. He also was the creator instantly recognizable icons, such as the New Year’s baby and Santa Claus, that are to this day an integral part of the lexicon of Americana and was commissioned to paint more Saturday Evening Post covers than any other artist.
Leyendecker lived for most of his adult life with Charles Beach, the Arrow Collar Man, on whom the stylish men in his artwork were modeled.
The first book about the artist in more than 30 years, J. C. Leyendecker features his masterworks, rare paintings, studies, and other artwork, including the 322 covers he did for the Post. With a revealing text that delves into both his artistic evolution and personal life, J. C. Leyendecker restores this iconic image maker’s rightful position in the pantheon of great American artists.
Great art with biased text Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1Z64H0BUWJTXK I found out that this book is rather controversial after reading all the comments left by other readers on Amazon, most are disgusted by the historical inaccuracies and personal agenda of the authors. Even I have to agree to a certain extent. At the end of the book, you'll get the impression that Norman Rockwell, Leyendecker's competition, is nothing but vile. One reader even pointed out a knock-off painting that was mistaken as an original Leyendecker work. These are only two examples.
In short, you should get this book for the art and not the text.
Leyendecker's paintings is easily identifiable by the exaggerated, quick brushstroke effect, or crosshatched strokes with oil paint. The reason why I bought the book was to check out how he draws the folds on those clothes. His command of drawing clothes and drapery is masterly. His more iconic pieces would be the Arrow Collar Man, New Year babies, and the covers for Saturday Evening Post.
Plenty of cover art he did for magazines are also included, although it's small at 9 per page. I thought the scans and reproduction of the paintings are pretty good. Yes, there might be yellow stains on those old copies of Saturday Evening Post but note that these paintings are from before the 1950s. The large illustrations are reproduced well, showing the texture of the medium. I like that his portraits are full of form and solidity, which I understand are drawn with models as reference.
The included biography is controversial but I didn't really buy this book for the text.
All said, it's still a very decent archive of Leyendecker's work.
The art is good enough to warrant a 5-star rating, regardless of what is written.
There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.
The Arrow Shirt Man Cutler, Lawrence S. and Judy Goffman Cutler. "J. C. Leyendecker", Abrams, 2008.
The Arrow Shirt Man
Amos Lassen
J.C. Leyendecker was one of the most prolific and successful artists in America during the first half on the 20th century. He is probably best known fir having created the archetype of American male fashion by the advertisements he provided for the Arrow shirt collar. They were perfect examples of a glamorous lifestyle and that is what many Americans wanted. He was also the creator of the New Year's baby and the Santa Claus that were part of "The Saturday Evening Post". His personal life was shared with Charles Beach, the man in the pictures with the Arrow Collar. Both his artistic output and personal life are admirably related in this book. However it is the prints in the book that make this worthwhile and not the text which leaves a great deal to be desired and from what I understand totally inaccurate. The affair with Beach is true and the two men are held up as gay examples of monogamy. The problems with the book is that the authors give us too much about their personal beliefs and not historical facts and information. It is one thing to write a biography and another thing to interpret a life. There is really nothing new here and Leyendecker was a private person. What is unfortunate is that this could have been the definitive book on the artist but instead it comes across as biographical nonsense.
The Most Complete Book Yet on Leyendecker J. C. Leyendecker was one of the great commercial illustrators in early 20th Century, having created the iconic Arrow Shirt man (based on his partner and model, Charles Beach), and produced more than 300 covers for the "Saturday Evening Post." This is the first collection of his work in more than 30 years, and has been long overdue. The "Post" covers are reproduced nine to a page, with a full-page reproduction of one of the original painting opposite. Many of the Arrow Shirt ads are also reproduced, as are sketches and studies in oil. The controversy in this volume lies in claims that a few of the reproduced pieces are actually forgeries and that some of the facts presented about Leyendecker and his life are unsubstantiated. For a major retrospective of a modern artist, there were very few footnoted references to the text, leading to claims and counterclaims about Leyendecker and his life, without any substantiation. The reproductions are exceptional, even the older "Post" covers, and the many hundreds of pieces make this the most complete book yet on Leyendecker.
He Gave the Look to 20th Century Men's Fashion Despite the authors' shortcomings, and it appears that the other reviewers' complaints are justified, this is a visually enchanting book for all interested in the history of men's fashion illustration, as well as many other iconic images of the twentieth century American traditions. Leyendecker's covers for magazines such as THE SATURDAY EVENING POST helped establish the visuals for American holidays and sports that are still valued today. This reviewer's copy was received as a gift, and a most welcome one that anyone interested in graphic arts would appreciate.
J.C. Leyendecker The biographical information on Leyendecker's life is a little thin. Yet, the paintings/illustrations are outstanding. Leyendecker was a gifted and innovative artist. This one is a keeper!
Anything Goes Trivia
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