Couple Kissing at Piano

It must have been like having a movie star for a sibling, being the “oh, yeah, you’re the brother” guy. Frank Xavier Leyendecker was born in Germany in 1879 (or ’76 or ’77, depending upon the source) and from boyhood, he seemed to be something of an afterthought. After enjoying early success, Frank’s demons of inferiority complex and substance abuse ruled.

This cover is from 1907.

Dancing at Dutch Pete’s

Although the family immigrated to America in 1882, primogeniture still held some sway to the Leyendecker parents, who were determined that older brother Joe (J.C.) receive the training required for future success. They were somewhat less concerned with their younger son’s prospects, but J.C. conscientiously worked to bring young Frank and his talent along with him, including to Paris in 1886 to study at the Acadèmie Julian.

This 1903 cover, Dancing at Dutch Pete’s, appears to have retained a bit of the Parisian influence the brothers enjoyed.

Girl Playing Piano

Paris was the heart of the international art world, and Laurence S. Cutler and Judy Goffman Cutler, authors of a book on J.C., write: “At 22 years of age, J.C. was already considered to be an upcoming art figure alongside such luminaries as … Alphonse Maria Mucha and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.” J.C. was considered the biggest talent to attend the academy in many years, which could be one reason that, while there, “J.C. studied diligently while F.X. tended to focus more on drinking, drugs and carousing with the other art students,” according to art blogger Donald Pittenger.

The little girl playing “The Maiden’s Prayer” is from 1911.

Ohio Electric Ad

Like his more successful brother, Frank did commercial work. J.C. was extremely successful in ad work; his Arrow Collar man became an icon and the account enjoyed a lucrative 25-year run. He was also industrious with elegant ads for Kuppenheimer men’s clothing and others. Younger brother Frank had a bit of an attitude about doing advertisements, feeling he was destined for fine arts. Michael Schau, author of another tome on J.C. Leyendecker, writes, “Whether or not he (Frank) lacked the vision or self-confidence to attempt such work is hard to tell”.

This 1912 ad for Ohio Electric shows elegantly attired folks (and one topiary-styled poodle) with “the only five passenger electric that can be driven from both the front and rear seats”. While we’re not sure why the electric car didn’t stick around in the early days, it is perhaps not surprising that that particular steering feature did not last.

November 1914 cover from Vanity Fair

Frank’s earliest success was with Collier’s magazine around the turn of the century. He also did work for Life magazine and, as we see in this stunning 1914 cover, Vanity Fair. The richness of color is a reminder that Frank was also a stained glass artist and designer. It is also a reminder that, like his brother J.C., Frank’s diversity of style was amazing. The fragment of his work shown here illustrates passionate, cute, romantic and elegant scenes. We’ll add one more style: the realistic and poignant (see below).

Soldier Writes Mother Letter

In this 1918 cover, a soldier writes by candlelight and in the background we see the sweet white-haired recipient of his letter. It is Frank’s only cover for Country Gentleman magazine, a sister publication to The Saturday Evening Post, for whom he did 17 covers. As we have indicated, the Post was by no means their only client, but it is illustrative of the hard-working nature of J.C. that he had done well over 130 covers for them by this time (he was to become the magazine’s most prolific artist, with 322 covers). Although the creative genius was there, Frank became more depressed and less productive as J.C.’s star continued to rise. After a dispute with J.C.’s partner, Charles Beach, J.C., who had always stayed with his brother, moved out. The Cutler book on J.C. Leyendecker states: “With nothing else left, no place in the fraternal relationship, a broken spirit, and overshadowed by J.C.’s successes, Frank lapsed further into his sad indulgences.” Depression, heavy drinking, smoking and drug use culminated in his death at 45 in April of 1924.

Young Suffragette by Violet Moore Higgins

It is 1913 and about darn time for equal rights for women! This “young suffragette” is putting aside her dolls and taking her brother’s turn at bat. Alas, many of our terrific covers were by artists long forgotten. Violet Moore Higgins was an illustrator for children’s books and magazines, and for one memorable Saturday Evening Post cover.

Girl Playing Piano by Frank X. Leyendeck

Well, some girls are sugar and spice and everything nice. This adorable 1911 cover was done by Frank X. Leyendecker, who painted sixteen Post covers. His more famous brother, J.C. did more Post covers than anyone – well over three hundred, including the next one.

April Showers by J.C. Leyendecker

J.C. Leyendecker was famous for more than doing more Post covers than anyone else (including his protégé, Norman Rockwell). Leyendecker ads for Arrow Shirts and Kuppenheimer men’s clothing epitomized elegance in the early part of the 20th century.
Here he turns his considerable talents to depicting a sweet little waif, made all the more tiny and fragile with the use of an oversized umbrella.

No Peeking by Norman Rockwell

Speaking of Rockwell, it has been said, by himself among others, that he didn’t paint little girls well. I beg to differ, and this prim and proper young lady is a fine example. Passing the “No Swimming” sign bedecked with the clothes of skinny-dipping boys, she is determined to see no evil – and certainly no unclothed boys! After such a trying journey, let’s hope she remembers what she was supposed to get at the market. Rockwell dogs are always so expressive – this one looks guilty, like he knows they are where they aren’t supposed to be.

Shiner by Norman Rockwell

Nothing prim and proper about this Rockwell beauty! The young lady, oh, let’s call her Joan, seems right proud of herself for the way she handled a conflict. There seems to be a discussion in the Principal’s office as to how to handle the troublemaker. This is a Rockwell classic from 1953. Rockwell quickly learned that painting a shiner was more complicated than first imagined: the coloring, the puffiness. He set out to find a kid with a black eye, but even the local hospitals were fresh out. A Massachusetts photographer heard of the problem and ran an ad for youngsters with shiners. The search quickly went viral, as we would say today, and the famous artist heard from all over the country. A boy in Worcester, Massachusetts had somehow acquired two black eyes ( we don’t want to know how),and his Dad drove him right to Rockwell’s studio in Vermont. The artist transferred one he declared “a beauty” to a favorite girl model, and the rest is American illustration history.

Jump Rope by Sarah Stilwell-Weber

Oh, my, there are so many beautiful covers by Sarah Stilwell-Weber, where do I begin? How about this darling 1915 cover of two cuties jumping rope? Stilwell-Weber did over sixty Post covers, mostly of irresistible little girls.

Cavalry Crossing River by Henry Soulen

Warfare was at a curious crossroads during this First War to End All Wars. There were modern new biplanes and old Cavalry troops. This is one of those covers that doesn’t gloss over the gritty aspects of war. This was by artist Henry Soulen, who later became known for art with an oriental flare, including several Post covers.

Soldiers in Battle by Julian De Miskey

Again, no Rockwellian depiction of a soldier resembling the clean-cut boy-next-door. This is from the brutal heart of battle, and is the only cover I found by artist Julian De Miiskey. This is from May 1918.

Littlest Soldier by J.C. Leyendecker

Leyendecker, our most prolific cover artist, shows a lighter side here, with the “man” off to war and the “woman and child” anxiously waiting at home. This is from 1916, and no doubt many little boys were playing “war”.

WWI Dogfight by Henry Soulen

It had only been a few years since the Wright Brothers pioneered flight. Planes were rudimentary, but present in the First World War. An enemy plane goes down in flames in this depiction of a 1917 dogfight.

Soldier Writes Mother a Letter by Frank X. Leyendecker

J.C. Leyendecker did many covers of soldiers, including one by a campfire writing a letter home. This one from 1918 is by his brother Frank X. Leyendecker. It is a sweet moment by candlelight, with a vision of Mother in the background. One can only imagine the homesickness.

French Soldier’s Grave by J.C. Leyendecker

This is a French soldier’s grave as depicted by J.C. Leyendecker in 1918. In respectful remembrance of our fallen soldiers, free from “religious” whackos who would belittle their ultimate sacrifice, this is how a fallen hero should be honored.

Swimming Hole by Norman Rockwell

This is a charming story-in-a-picture of a salesman making a long drive on a hot August day. No air conditioning in the car, of course. He spots a swimming hole, pulls over and goes for it. He carefully lays his glasses on a newspaper and his lit cigar on his shoe, to be picked up when he emerges (Rockwell was all about details). And then shows us a face of pure bliss. “George Zimmer, my model,” reported Norman Rockwell, “was an awful good sport. He stripped and I poured several buckets of water over his head to get the effect.” And you thought modeling was easy!

Drink of Water by Frank X. Leyendecker

We love this cover from August of 1914 by artist Frank X. Leyendecker (brother of Post cover artist J.C.). Frank did sixteen Post covers, and this one is delightful. Delivering papers in August is hot, tiring work, and the kid deserves a cool drink. The fact that his drinking buddy happens to be a horse doesn’t concern him.

Watering Father by Richard Sargent

We’d all like to see this scene three seconds later, but this is what we have to work with. While Mom is busy planting and watering flowers, Junior is thinking Dad’s pasty white skin needs a cool-down. Whether Dad agreed it was a good idea is a mystery left up to the viewer. Sargent was great with humorous scenes and a master at the pregnant pause, the “what-happens-next” moment.

Wet Swim Suit by Clarence F. Underwood

We know, you’re shocked. A pretty young lady in a swimsuit on the cover of the staid and venerable Saturday Evening Post. And in 1912 yet! Well, even young ladies in 1912 deserved a cool-down. At least we don’t have to wring out the heavy skirts of our swimsuits these days. Artist Clarence F. Underwood did over forty Post covers. Even though most of them were in the 19-teens, many showed active women: fishing, playing tennis, canoeing, even plowing a field. Of course, they looked surprisingly pretty doing all this.

Sitting on the Diving Board by Penrhyn Stanlaws

My, how bathing suits changed in a mere twenty-one years! In a swimsuit more suited for immersion, the pretty lady from 1933 is just dipping her toes in the water. Go figure. Curtis Publishing (curtispublishing.com) shows many gorgeous Stanlaws covers, usually of lovely young ladies holding a teacup or bouquet. He did a total of thirty-seven Post covers between 1913 and 1938. (Warning: if you look up his covers on the Curtis website, you’ll want to buy prints of them all.)

Cool Bear by Charles Livingston Bull

Then there’s the total immersion therapy. This is from Country Gentleman magazine (a sister publication) in 1922 by great wildlife artist, Charles Livingston Bull. If that water looks good to you, a word of advice: Find another place to cool down.