J. C. Leyendecker COVER: The Inland Printer 1897. Art Nouveau Design.
Item History & Price
Joseph Christian Leyendecker (1874-1951) was a German-American illustrator. He is considered to be one of the preeminent 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 various magazines, especially the Saturday Evening Post. Leyendecker virtually invented the whole idea of modern magazine design. The cover I'm off...ering here is something of a rarity. Not for as widely circulated periodical as The Saturday Evening Post, this cover comes from a January 1897 issue of something called THE INLAND PRINTER. Frankly, I'm not sure of what this periodical was all about...I imagine it was some kind of trade publication for those involved in printing and publishing. What I can tell you is that in this very early print from 1897, Leyendecker was certainly influenced by the contemporary ART NOUVEAU craze then sweeping Europe and America. This cover seems to cry out: "Alphonse Mucha here I am!!" The dramatic swirl of the women's drapery and the wild gestures of the horses in the background all are part of the 1890's obsession with art nouveau. What makes this particular cover (aside from its rarity) is the use of gilded gold in the design. This must have been very expensive to produce. The cover is in basically very good condition...the gilding is solid and unblemished. But there are some scruffy edges to the top of the sheet, which were, in fact, covered by a mat when I purchased this years ago....and could certainly be covered again. This would make a stunning piece matted and framed in an art nouveau frame. The sheet measures 11 3/4 inches x 8 7/8 inches. A wonderful, early, and rare example of Leyendecker's distinctive art. Free shipping in the U.S. Outside the U.S. I use the E-Bay Global Shipping Program for my prints...so if you win one you will not receive an invoice from me but on directly from E-Bay, which is solely responsible for the added foreign charges (customs) and shipping. Buyers outside the U.S., please be aware of these added fees before bidding.
