40s art

Vernon Simeon Plemion Grant (1902-1990), or simply Vernon Grant, as he signed his works, had a long, active career illustrating magazines, books and advertising. Here is his Wikipedia entry and here is a website dedicated to him. Grant featured a cartoon-like style in his work that was lively and attractive. It was also highly in tune with the times. Yes, there was a Depression and then a war going on during his peak years. But many Americans were happy to seek relief from unpleasant times…

Pruitt Carter Ladies Home Journal 1944

misskayonyx: Le Sourire Magazine, October 8, 1925., a post from the blog Art Deco on Bloglovin’

In the 1950s abstract expressionism was in full flower. American magazine illustrations, on the other hand, remained fairly tight and realistic. Yet, these representational illustrations often contained abstract flurries of brush strokes and color, frequently in the tousled hair of stylish women. Andy Virgil Compare Coby Whitmore's treatment of hair... Coby Whitmore ...with Willem de Kooning's abstraction: de Kooning In fact, flipping through the typical illustrations in women's magazines in…

Jon Whitcomb "A change within" Ladies' Home Journal, Jan. 1949

Joseph Christian Leyendecker (1874 – 1951) was one of the pre-eminent American illustrators of the early 20th century. He is best known for his poster, book and advertising illustrations, the trade character known as The Arrow Collar Man, and his numerous covers for The Saturday Evening Post. Between 1896 and 1950 Leyendecker illustrated more than 400 magazine covers including 322 for The Saturday Evening Post, as well as many advertisement illustrations for its interior pages. No other…