Post cover artist John Falter

“Nothing ever quenches the artist in him. … The world is his studio,” wrote The Saturday Evening Post in 1971 when artist John Falter came to visit.

While the Post‘s art director was preparing a portfolio of Falter paintings for that profile, intent over his drawing board, “he turned to find John scrunched down behind him, pencil in hand, sketching swiftly and surely.”

“Covered Bridge”

Unlike the art of Rockwell, Leyendecker and most Post artists, John Falter’s work was less about people and more about settings. It was all about perspective, and the paintings seemed to be from the viewpoint of a bird in a nearby tree.

The lettering on the bridge warned: “$5 Fine for Any Person Riding or Driving Over this Bridge Faster Than a Walk or Smoking Segars On.”

Hey, the artist didn’t write it, he just painted it.

Post editors speculated that maybe Falter should be fined $5 for letting that kid walk on the wall. We’ll not fine him this time, since we love how he captured this 1954 Pennsylvania scene, which makes the viewer long to be a kid on a lazy summer day, riding his bike and wading in the creek.

“Home From Vacation”

Our bird is looking down at a family returning from vacation in August 1952—and perhaps wishing they hadn’t. Not only is the lawn in desperate need of attention, but that little bird forgot to tell them to cancel the newspapers and milk (oh dear, how old is that milk?). While dragging out the mower, mister, you might want to get the ladder—it appears a couple of newspapers landed on the roof. But, be it ever so neglected, there’s no place like home.

An interesting tidbit from the Post article noted above was that Falter always painted from the south, so we are looking north. In this instance, the ominous northern sky greets the weary travelers with the news that they probably need not get the mower out just yet. One can only hope the house key isn’t at the bottom of a suitcase.

“Country Auction”

It looks like everything from farm implements to household goods are going in this country auction, including the neglected Victorian loveseat in the foreground, much to the dismay of the offended hen who was using it for nesting. This cheerful cover was surely a treat in 1944, when war news was everywhere, including inside this issue.

Born in 1910, Falter succeeded at a young age. He was landing prestigious assignments at magazines like McCall’s, Cosmopolitan and Life when he interrupted his career to enter the Navy during World War II. Promoted from boatswain to lieutenant, he designed over 300 posters and other materials for the Navy recruitment program.

It is interesting to compare these bucolic covers with Falter’s cityscapes, again from the bird’s eye view, which were covered in “Can You Guess the City?”

“Eighteenth Hole”

It is estimated that John Falter completed over 5,000 paintings. This is not all that surprising, said a 1991 Post article, considering that “Falter awoke every morning at 3 o’clock to concentrate on the work in progress, and that he painted until 5:30 p.m. six days a week.”

It is doubtful he had much time for such pastimes as golf. As much as he enjoyed the outdoors, clearly his passion was art. “It has to be a love affair every time,” Falter said. “If you aren’t in love with what you are trying to put on that canvas, you better quit”.

“Evening Picnic”

“Sometimes Nature rains on a picnic; sometimes she is just neutral; and sometimes, as in this mood caught by John Falter’s brush, she glories in the occasion herself, painting a magic sunset, smoothing the waterways into mirrors, tempering the temperature, even arranging for the watermelons to be at their most luscious ripeness.” Post editors in 1951 waxed poetic over this cover of an evening picnic.

The 1971 Post profile echoed, “Falter’s masterful treatment of light stems from the fact that he is a nature lover and happily gifted to reflect her moods.”

Nature continued to be a focus after his Post years (the magazine covers went from illustrations to photos in the 1960s). A 1991 Post article noted that one of his projects was “190 canvases of scenes depicting the western migration from the Missouri River to the Rocky Mountains.”

That love of nature lasted until his death in 1982, noted the article. “His ashes were cast into the mouth of the Platte River where they would flow down the Missouri—the setting of many of his historical paintings.”

“Soldier on Motorbike” by Lawrence Toney

Yes, motorcycles were used in World War I, as this 1917 Post cover indicates. The U.S. military used mainly Harley-Davidson or Indian bikes, and not surprisingly, the British used Triumph, while Germany used BMW motorbikes.

“The Army used an estimated 20,000 motorcycles during the war,” wrote Lisa Gregory in a 2003 issue of Soldiers Magazine. “In fact, the first American to enter Germany after the ceasefire was reported to be motorcycle dispatch rider Cpl. Roy Holz.”

In the first world war era you’d see motorcycles, cars, trucks, and airplanes juxtaposed with cavalry!

“Indian Bike Ad” – September 7, 1918

This 1918 Indian ad confirms that thousands of bikes were placed in the service of the Allied armies.

Indian states: “our factories are working night and day to supply the needs of Uncle Sam. … We feel sure that our civilian customers who have suffered delay by this condition will be patient until such time as we can resume our regular deliveries.”

“Indian Police Motorcycles” – February 15, 1913

Very early in motorbike history, police departments learned the advantage of their maneuverability and convenience. And supplying police and military became a competitive business early in the 20th century.

Although Harley-Davidson delivered a bike to the Detroit Police Department in 1908, this ad from a February 1913 issue of the Post shows the Detroit police with squad of Indian bikes.

Click here for a virtual museum on the history of motor law enforcement.

“Indian Motorcycle With Side Car” – May 9, 1914

This 1914 ad shows that bikes were not just for work. The ad says this motorcycle with sidecar has all the touring comfort and efficiency of an automobile at the cost of trolley fares.

“A spin on a summer’s evening. A weekend trip. A coast-to-coast tour,” the ad rhapsodizes. Well, I don’t see that last one happening on 1914 roads, but we get the idea.

“Yale Bike Ad” – November 2, 1907

The first motorcycle ads in the Post appeared in 1907—105 years ago! This ad appeared in November of that year for a 1908 Yale California advertised for $200. It is difficult to imagine how many folks could afford that kind of outlay, which would be around $5,000 in today’s dollars.

“Tex’s Motorcycle” by Stevan Dohanos

We showed this cover last year in a piece about illustrator Stevan Dohanos. See more of his work in The Great Covers of Stevan Dohanos.

Mil Blair, an expert at bike building, restored the Harley-Davidson. Blair saw the bike on the Post cover when he was 11 years old and fell in love with it, undoubtedly like every other boy who saw that issue. But wait until you see it today!

“Tex’s Motorcycle”

What are the chances of a long-time staffer for The Saturday Evening Post running across a motorcycle made famous by that 1951 Post cover…literally right down the street? The Post’s Dwight Lamb is a frequent visitor to the beautiful Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis. Although the Eiteljorg is known for a superb collection of Indian and Western art, the museum was having a display of classic, outlandish or otherwise unique motorcycles. Lamb was stunned when he turned a corner and saw this big, blue…and oddly familiar bike. And yes, motorcycle buffs, Mil Blair, who restored this beauty, rode this classic to the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

“Arrow Collars and Shirts” by J.C. Leyendecker

It is striking that ads in the old issues of The Saturday Evening Post often boast artwork worthy of a cover on the finest magazines of the period. An exquisite example is this 1930 ad by the great J.C. Leyendecker for Arrow Collars and Shirts. Leyendecker was about as famous for these ads as for his prolific Post covers, and the “Arrow Collar Man” was the American ideal for 25 years.

“Fisk Tires” by Norman Rockwell

Although several great illustrators did ads for Fisk Tires, Norman Rockwell did artwork for the company from 1917 to 1925 that appeared in magazines such as Youth’s Companion, Boy’s Life and, of course, The Saturday Evening Post. This winter scene with the boys admiring the cool tires is from 1917. There was always a sign or billboard for Fisk Tires in the ad.

“Cadillac” by T.M. Cleland

Did you ever think you would call an advertisement “magnificent”? Artist T.M. Cleland (1880-1964) was a decorative designer, typographer, a well-known printer and, oh, yes, a wonderful illustrator. This 1928 ad for Cadillac is probably a depiction of Monte Carlo, suggesting how fun it would be to tool around Europe in your Caddy.

“Cream of Wheat” by Edward V. Brewer

We have come across dozens of great old Cream of Wheat ads. Artist Edward V. Brewer developed a series of these ads based on the black chef who appeared on the box (and still does today). The chef with the great smile would show up somewhere in the ad. In the case of this 1923 example, he appeared on the fancy new sign attracting the local children. The original paintings of vintage Cream of Wheat ads now sell for four to five figures.

“Bottles Ad”

This charming ad from 1926 is touting the health benefits of bottles for your carbonated beverages. “Every bubble holds a heaping measure of health,” claims the text, going so far as to quote a prominent chemist’s assurances that the “average bottle of soft drink has the energy value equivalent to 3 ounces mashed potatoes or ¾ pound tomatoes”. Well, we may question that, but a bottle of pop is certainly easier to consume on the golf course than those food items.

“Hosiery”

“Full fashioned, of course—giving that slender, trim ankled appearance that every woman wants.” How a pair of silk stockings achieves that is not clear, but no matter: this one is a charmer and a good example of late 1920s fashion and hairstyles. Like the artwork in so many of these ads, this one is not signed by the artist, but we have our suspicions. The lighting from below, as if by fireplace, and the large-eyed beauty is remarkably similar to a 1923 Post cover by artist Pearl L. Hill, who illustrated eight Post covers during the 20s (see below).

“Waiting” by Pearl Hill

One of eight Post covers by artist Pearl L. Hill.

“Cowboy and Setting Sun” by N.C. Wyeth

Great American artist N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945) was a realist, as this 1907 cover shows. His first commission was to paint a cover for The Saturday Evening Post in 1903, a heady success for the tender age of twenty-one. The Post then commissioned him to illustrate a Western story, and Howard Pyle, under whom he studied, encouraged his venture West to study the real thing. Already very much the outdoorsman, Wyeth worked as a cowboy and ranch hand, obtaining much more than a fancy art school education.

“Gary Cooper as the Texan” by Norman Rockwell

Twenty-five years or so later, an artist named Rockwell made his own trip out west, to a land called Hollywood. The artist thought it would be ironic to show a big, strapping “cowboy” getting his face made up. Hollywood was excited to have one of its stars appear on a Saturday Evening Post cover by the likes of Norman Rockwell, and the illustrator could have his pick. He selected a winner in handsome Gary Cooper. “He posed for me in Hollywood for three days and worked as conscientiously as any model I ever had,” Rockwell wrote. “Everyone at the set was crazy about him and I could see why.”

“Playing Cowboy” by Amos Sewell

From 1951, this youngster on the bucking two-wheeled bronco is determined to lasso that ornery, good-for-nothing fence post. Artist Amos Sewell did 45 Post covers from 1949-1962, mostly of kids being kids.

“Woman on Horse in Mountains” by W.H.D. Koerner

We’ll call this 1928 cover “Romance of the Cowgirl.” W.H.D. Koerner (1878-1938) was one of the great artists of the American West. Although he lived on the east coast, he made many trips to scenic Western sites like Yellowstone and the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. He illustrated many stories of Western fiction that appeared in the Post and Country Gentleman magazines.

“Tom Mix” by Rolf Armstrong

For most of us, Tom Mix (1880-1940) was before our time, but he set the standard for movie and TV cowboys to come. Starring in over 300 movies (mostly silent films), he is described as our “first Western megastar.” The films were more showmanship than authentic, but Americans became hooked on the romance of the West.

“Herding Horses” by John Clymer

“How nice it is to be a Western horse and seldom come to a fence or the inside of a barn door,” reflected Post editors of this 1952 Wyoming scene. With the help of his pigtailed daughter behind him, this rancher moves a herd of horses across the river. The dog is assisting as well, even though we can only see his head barely above the water. Artist John Clymer (1907-1989) turned many American landscapes into beautiful Post covers.

“Cowboy Asleep in Beauty Salon” by Kurt Ard

Well, partner, this cowboy’s had a long day ropin’, shootin’ and riding the range. By the time he got to this here fixin’-up place, he was plumb tuckered out. This adorable 1961 cowboy is by artist Kurt Ard.

For more Western art, see “Native American Covers.”

“Doe and Fawns” by Jack Murray

This beautiful Jack Murray deer cover is from 1933. Murray was born in Pittsburg on August 12, 1889, the son of two opera stars, J.K. Murray and his wife, the former Clara Lane. The Murrays received many invitations to sing in Europe. These were refused, as the family was not fond of ocean journeys, and for good reason. When Mr. Murray was a boy, his parents and siblings took a voyage across the Atlantic.

The ship ran into a storm, losing its rudder. For a full miserable month, it was tossed around mid-ocean until rescue arrived. Not surprisingly, the horrifying incident cast a long dark shadow on thoughts of travel for years to come.

“Bear Cubs in River” by Jack Murray

Legendary publisher George Horace Lorimer made The Saturday Evening Post a showplace for stunning wildlife paintings. A determination that makes us grateful today when we see covers like this one of bear cubs. At a time when the importance of conservation was a relatively new concept, it gladdens us to see the obvious respect the artist had for these splendid creatures.

Jack Murray “showed an early interest in wildlife art, making his first drawings when he was nine years old, and getting into taxidermy at fourteen,” according to the Russell Fink Gallery, of Lorton, Virginia, which specializes in wildlife art.

“Leopard” by Jack Murray

In the 1920s Murray began to get work drawing and painting for advertising agencies. (Most Post illustrators, including Norman Rockwell, did artwork for ads.) Again, from the Russell Fink Gallery: “In 1926 he and Mrs. Murray bought a farm outside the city to use as a summer place. Here he fixed up a studio where he could keep on with the major interest of his life, the painting of wildlife. It was work that had been relegated to spare moments over the years, but the turning point came when one of these “hobby” paintings was accepted as a cover by The Saturday Evening Post.” That was this leopard painting from 1931.

“Soaring Bald Eagle” by Jack Murray

The John Denver lyrics, “He’d be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly,” make perfect sense when you’ve been privileged to witness nature’s everyday wonders. In addition to a dozen Post covers, Murray illustrated for books and magazines such as Boys’ Life, Outdoors, Better Homes and Gardens, and several others, at the rate of at least a cover a month.

He declined an invitation for an exhibit of his work in Paris, either because of his demanding schedule or because of the ingrained family inclination to avoid ocean voyages.

“Polar Bear on Iceberg” by Jack Murray

Murray passed away in 1965.

Reprints of Murray’s Saturday Evening Post covers (with or without the masthead) can be obtained by contacting Curtis Publishing and will soon be available at Art.com.

“War Stories”

A number of Rockwell Post covers have become iconic — classics we all recognize right away. Some of the wartime covers we show you here may be some of the illustrator’s finest work, yet they are seldom seen. We view them this Memorial Day weekend to honor those who have served and those who serve today.

“War Stories”

A war hero, holding a Japanese flag, has tales of war to tell, and clearly the memories are not light, the retelling not boastful, and the life-altering experiences he relates are riveting. The news article on the wall shows that the soldier is a local hero. The model was not a former garage employee, but was indeed a decorated Marine named Duane Parks. Rockwell found him in Dorset, Vermont. The other models were, as usual, Arlington, Vermont neighbors of the artist. The man with the pipe leaning in to listen was the owner of the garage, Bob Benedict. The man posing as the policeman was Arlington town clerk and newspaper editor. The young boys Rockwell found even closer to home: the boy sitting next to the Marine was his youngest son, Peter, and the blond boy to the right was his oldest son, Jerry. They, along with brother Tommy, appeared on many a Rockwell canvas.

“The Armchair General”

Tracing each advance and retreat is more than an interesting pastime with this gentleman. The service flag with three stars indicates he has that number of sons serving. May the stars remain forever blue, for a gold star represents a serviceman who will not return home. With his customarily remarkable eye for detail, Rockwell shows a tiny photo of each boy by the flag, photos of generals MacArthur and Eisenhower, a wall map, and an old-fashioned radio.

“The Clubhouse Examination”

Going back to 1917, Rockwell shows us a different kind of “recruitment center.” Even on tiptoe, our would-be soldier doesn’t measure up to the “nesissary hite.” The “recrooter,” decked out in a combination scout/soldier attire, was one of Rockwell’s favorite early models, Billy Paine. Alas, boys sometimes do foolish things in real life and Paine died at age thirteen doing a stunt from a second-story window. He was in fifteen Rockwell Post covers.

“Fisk WWI Soldier – Youth’s Companion” by creator

We found a couple of boxes of a publication called The Youth’s Companion in the archives recently. This was a children’s magazine published in Boston from 1827-1929. By happy accident, we noticed this Rockwell ad for something called “Fisk Boys Club” from a 1917 issue. Rockwell numbered Fisk Tires among his many advertising clients. What was the Fisk Boy’s Club? It was a way for youngsters to participate in the war effort:

They are not old enough to go to the front–but they make themselves useful and their labors in bicycle patrols, delivering messages, Red Cross assistants and so on are excellent training in discipline and character building that develops manly and honorable young men.

“Home at Last”

Back to post-WWII for a restful snooze in a hammock on a quiet, sun-dappled afternoon — who could wish for more for our loved ones returning home?

Rockwell was a borrower for this painting. He borrowed the sailor, soon to return to the Navy, from Williams College. The sailor’s uniform was borrowed from a shipmate, as he didn’t have the decorations on his own. The house was borrowed from a neighbor; the hammock from another neighbor. Rockwell borrowed the pooch from his son, Tommy. The shoes were not borrowed however — they belonged to the artist.

 

“Spring was on the land, and the benignant Vermont sun, having penetrated every other nook and cranny in the town of Manchester, presently made its way into a certain quiet room where six men and one woman sat around a long, plain table. Then, in the following order, came: The song of birds, the fragrance of flowers, and—-Norman Rockwell.

“The last of these three, it developed, wanted something. The ration board, having never had a visitor who didn’t, evinced no surprise. In Rockwell’s case, however, the desideratum was none of the things the rest of us try to wheedle out of our ration boards.

“’What I would like,’ said America’s favorite artist, ‘is the privilege of painting pictures of all you board members.’” – From The Saturday Evening Post, July 15, 1944

 

The board agreed to the painting as long as the artist made them look good.

“If I do,” he bargained, “will you give me a B card?” (A sticker deeming your car essential to the war effort and thereby entitled to a whopping eight gallons of gasoline a week.)

“No, but if you don’t, they said, “we’ll take away you’re A card.” (Allowing you four gallons of fuel.)

As it happened, the artist painted himself into the scene. At left you see a man standing before the board to plead his case, and sitting, observing, is the artist.

How did citizens take to having to appeal to a local board for the right to purchase necessities? “We are about as popular as tax collectors,” wrote Joe M. Dawson in 1943. Dawson served on a Manhattan ration board and described one rather hefty lady who, “despite her coquettish hat and giddy perfume, was quite angry. She had made four trips to the ration board demanding extra gasoline, and each time we decided she was not entitled to it. “I’m an American citizen,” she exploded, waving a scarlet-tipped finger under my nose,” Dawson wrote in “Life on A Ration Board” in The Saturday Evening Post, “You can’t do this to me. I’ve written to that man Henderson; I’ve written to the President. If you don’t give me my gasoline, I’ll write to Uncle Sam!”

“Most people understand it isn’t our fault, and that we give our time and energy without pay, but it is human nature to personalize the irritations and troubles; so we get cussed out anyway,” Dawson wrote in the 1943 Post story. But the good people of the boards felt it was a way to serve the war efforts. “Despite the headaches, it has paid me ample dividends, not only in the satisfaction of doing a necessary job but also in humor, and a fascinating insight into my fellow man which I would not have got any other way. Everybody likes to watch and know about his neighbors, and a job on the board is a front-row seat.”

These words reflect what Norman Rockwell was doing at a Vermont ration board a few months later. He knew he was sketching a unique spectacle, not seen before in America. No one knew how long this experience would last or if it would happen again. But it was a part of American history he knew he should capture.

 

 

For more on this subject see the Post‘s articles by Jeff Nilsson:

“Living for Less in America” and “Family Life in Wartime.”

To learn more about ration coupons, we also recommend The Ames (Iowa) Historical Society.

Classic Art: Rockwell Visits a Ration Board The Saturday Evening Post

]]> http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/05/17/art-entertainment/rockwell-visits-a-ration-board-2.html/feed 0 http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/04/27/art-entertainment/artist-richard-sargent.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=artist-richard-sargent http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/04/27/art-entertainment/artist-richard-sargent.html#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:30:50 +0000 Diana Denny http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/?p=54273 Watch a TV show from the 1950s and you view a life that is perfect. However, on Richard Sargent’s delightful Post covers, life had its moments…

Classic Covers: Richard Sargent The Saturday Evening Post

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“Doggy Buffet”

January 5, 1957

Artist Richard Sargent (1911-1979) painted 47 Post covers between 1951 and 1962, when photographs were rapidly replacing magazine illustrations. A Midwesterner, he was born and raised in Moline, Illinois and went to art school there. He later became quite the world traveler, but he always remembered the all-American folk and loved putting them in situations that tended to go awry.

“Cramped Parking”

March 5, 1960

Right now Mr. Jones is feeling like a tin can in a trash compactor. But squeezing out of his car may be easier than explaining why he was late for work because he missed the 7:35.

“Dr. and the Dog”

November 21, 1953

“The trouble with painters,” said Post editors of this 1953 cover, “is that they build up awful situations like this, then blithely start work on another cover, leaving the victims to get out of the mess, if possible.” And leaving the observer to wonder what happens next. Artist Sargent was a master at the pregnant situation: Will the man above be able to squeeze out of his car and make the train? Will the dog at the buffet make off with the ham? Will the dog in this painting make a meal of the doctor? When editors asked, “Sargent says he doesn’t know what will happen, because the dog’s hair is so long he can’t see the expression in his eyes.” The rat.

“Sack Full of Trouble”

April 14, 1956

Grocery shopping was easy in the days before Big Chief Troublemaker came along, hiding in tin-can canyons and paper goods trails waiting to ambush Mom or the poor grocer.

Sargent had three sons, starting with a redheaded moppet with a mischievous bent; the inspiration for many a cover.

“Violin Practice”

February 5, 1955

Apparently Red’s skills have not reached a level tolerable even to himself in this 1955 cover. Sargent’s own redheaded son was grown by 1954 when an excited Sargent called a Post editor and said, “Well, what do you suppose happened to me?”

The staffer guessed, “Land a painting in the Metropolitan Museum?” “Better than that!” Sargent cried. “Listen. I’m a little guy: five feet six, 125 pounds. Always wanted to be an athlete when I was a kid—always the last kid to be picked on a team. All my life I’ve yearned to be written up in the sports news. You know the Wykagyl golf course?” (This was a famous suburban New York club near Sargent’s home.) “Well, sir, you’re talking to a champion! Anthony and I just won the Father and Son championship!”

Honestly, this guy couldn’t wait to share the family triumph with his friends at the Post. After sifting through biographical details about the artist, it seemed this little conversation told much more about the man.

“Richard Sargent”

Yep, confirmed the editors, the write-up in the New Rochelle paper detailed the duo’s spiffy score of net 66. So the Post ran its own photo of Sargent and family with the trophy. The lively little redheaded Anthony was by then six feet three and playing golf in the low 80’s. Noting that his dad scored in the 90’s, the editors suggested “he plays better with a brush”.

“Grandma Catches Fly-ball”

April 23, 1960

Number 21 is trying desperately, but it’s a high fly ball, straight into the mitt of…Grandma! Curious Post editors checked around and uncovered the fact that “some 1400 foul balls are knocked into the Yankee Stadium stands every season.” More difficult to ascertain were the stats on how many of those were snagged by little old ladies wearing red gloves.

“The Fat Lady Sings”

December 16,1961

If you ever watched preliminary tryouts for “American Idol,” you probably found yourself cringing like the gentlemen here. Even the bust of Beethoven on the piano is wincing, no doubt wishing he had hands to cover his ears with. Maybe they should start playing “Show Me the Way to Go Home.” This was Dick Sargent in a nutshell, showing us that life has its foibles, but it’s still a hoot!

Classic Covers: Richard Sargent The Saturday Evening Post

]]> http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/04/27/art-entertainment/artist-richard-sargent.html/feed 1 http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/04/04/art-entertainment/april-showers.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=april-showers http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/04/04/art-entertainment/april-showers.html#comments Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:34 +0000 Diana Denny http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/?p=54161 You may not like the idea of getting caught in a sudden downpour or splashed by passing vehicles, but the thought appealed to our cover artists.

Classic Covers: April Showers The Saturday Evening Post

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“April Showers” by J.C. Leyendecker

April 5, 1919

This 1919 cover shows a lady prepared for a downpour, but not everyone is ready for the worst.

“Baseball Rained Out” by Charles A. MacLellan

August 4, 1917

Game called on account of wetness. The artist, Charles A. MacLellan, did almost fifty Saturday Evening Post covers and this 1917 one is a treat.

“Commuters in the Rain” by John Falter

from October 7, 1961

Making a run for it in 1961 are these commuters rushing from the train. Why does the rain on the plains fall mainly when we detrain? This was by one of our favorite cover artists, John Falter, who cheated: he painted the railroad station in Gynedd Valley, PA while it was sunny and dry.

“Cub Scouts in Phone Booth” by Richard Sargent

August 26, 1961

Somehow on their country hike, these Cub Scouts were able to use their tracking skills to find a phone booth. “We realize this is an awfully small Cub pack,” Post editors wrote, “but artist Dick Sargent simply couldn’t pack any more boys into the booth.” Good luck finding a phone booth these days, but this cover was from 1961.

“Flat Tire, Flat Evening” by Ellen Pyle

November 24, 1934

It’s raining, you are in formal wear, and a tire goes flat – anything else? Oh yes, the nearest garage is five miles away. This 1934 cover is a unique one for delightful artist Ellen Pyle; most of her Post covers were of adorable children or young ladies.

“Splashed” by John LaGatta

May 20, 1939

Stylish, willowy ladies and gorgeous colors – it must be the work of artist John LaGatta. But as we learned from the cover above, being elegantly attired tempts fate. What can be more of an affront than looking urbane and polished and getting splashed by a passing car? We have an answer below. (See more of The Elegant Art of John LaGatta.)

“Muddied by Dry Cleaning Truck” by Stevan Dohanos

October 2, 1948

Adding insult to wetness, these pedestrians are getting soiled by, what else? A dry-cleaning truck. Ever the realist, artist Stevan Dohanos followed delivery trucks around Bridgeport, Connecticut for a while in order to study “splash detail.” Once he got the technique, that twisted humor that afflicted so many of our fine cover artists kicked in and he decided to paint a truck delivering clean laundry. We’re sure it was a driver oversight and not an attempt to drum up business. For more wonderful art by this artist, see “The Great Covers of Stevan Dohanos.”

Classic Covers: April Showers The Saturday Evening Post

]]> http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/04/04/art-entertainment/april-showers.html/feed 0 http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/03/29/art-entertainment/harrison-fisher.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=harrison-fisher http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/03/29/art-entertainment/harrison-fisher.html#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:00:37 +0000 Diana Denny http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/?p=53125 Known as “The Father of a Thousand Girls,” Artist Harrison Fisher was famous for his beautiful ladies with fabulous hats.

Classic Covers: Harrison Fisher The Saturday Evening Post

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Artist Harrison Fisher

Harrison Fisher (right) in a November 1909 issue of the Post.

Harrison Fisher was known as “Father of a Thousand Girls” for his paintings of beautiful women. He was also the father of over eighty Saturday Evening Post covers.

“Lady in Oversized Hat with Flowers” by Harrison Fisher

August 7, 1909

Where, oh where did he find these hats? Harrison Fisher (1875-1934) was the son and grandson of artists, and by the time he was six, his father was teaching him about art.

Still in his teens, Fisher became a newspaper illustrator. In the days before photography was commonplace, newspapers depicted current events and stories in black and white sketches. Soon, however, it was clear that paintings of beautiful women were his forte and he found his ladies described as successors to the Gibson Girls.

“Paisley Turban” by Harrison Fisher

May 21, 1910

Much like the Gibson Girls, the Fisher Girls were the epitome of the All-American beauty with hourglass figures, delicate facial features and rich, lustrous hair. If you could see any of this beyond those hats, that is. This gorgeous paisley turban is from a 1910 cover.

“Woman in Hat” by Harrison Fisher

October 21, 1911

She was the American Girl, and being a Fisher model was the hot job. Fisher’s models ran in high society circles, motoring with millionaires and staying at luxury mansions. But one model was especially interesting…

“Big Black Hat” by Harrison Fisher

June 29, 1912

Her name was Dorothy Gibson. The story begins with a brief career as a vaudeville singer and dancer and continues with being Harrison Fisher’s favorite model. She’ll be covered in a Post web piece next week for something else she is famed for: she was a survivor of the Titanic. Believe it or not, her story grows even more interesting.

“Coffee and Conversation” by Harrison Fisher

January 20, 1912

It may be 1912, but this hat is worthy of Lady Gaga.

It is said that with his newspapers and magazines, such as Cosmopolitan, publisher William Randolph tried to keep Fisher so busy he couldn’t work for other publications. Indeed, he did most Cosmopolitan covers — nearly 300 — between 1913 and his death in 1934. It was Cosmo that gave him his “Father of a Thousand Girls,” nickname.

“Woman in Turban” by Harrison Fisher

October 21,1911

Fisher is reported in some sources to have an exclusive contract with Cosmopolitan magazine, which is either inaccurate, or the artist found a way around it, as he did over 80 Saturday Evening Post covers between 1900 and 1915.

Classic Covers: Harrison Fisher The Saturday Evening Post

]]> http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/03/29/art-entertainment/harrison-fisher.html/feed 1 http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/03/23/art-entertainment/happy-birthday-j-c-leyendecker.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=happy-birthday-j-c-leyendecker http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/03/23/art-entertainment/happy-birthday-j-c-leyendecker.html#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:45:54 +0000 Diana Denny http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/?p=54650 We're celebrating the spring birthday of our most prolific cover artist.

Classic Covers: Happy Birthday, J.C. Leyendecker The Saturday Evening Post

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“Queen of Spring”

May 23, 1931

We’re celebrating the spring birthday of our most prolific cover artist with three very different springtime covers. This 1931 cover we call “Queen of Spring” is what J.C. Leyendecker was known for: an elaborate tapestry of a painting, lush in detail.

“Ready for Spring Cleaning”

May 15, 1937

Leyendecker (March 23, 1874-July 25, 1951) also painted delightful character covers, such as this very different spring queen: a take-no-prisoners woman from 1937 ready for spring cleaning.

Norman Rockwell stopped at 321 Post covers out of deference to the artist he idolized, J.C. Leyendecker, who painted 322. “Between 1900 and 1945, Joe Leyendecker painted like a machine gun,” state Lawrence S. Cutler and Judy Goffman Cutler in their 2008 book about Leyendecker.

“Two Children with Easter Flowers”

April 4, 1908

Leyendecker was adept at sweet depictions of children, like these two from 1908, all dressed-up for Easter.

Leyendecker painted covers for a number of magazines in addition to the Post, but perhaps ironically, he is best remembered as the illustrator who created the handsome “Arrow Collar Man.” But from 1899 all the way through two world wars, he created a glorious body of work for The Saturday Evening Post for which we are most grateful.

Classic Covers: Happy Birthday, J.C. Leyendecker The Saturday Evening Post

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