Norman Rockwell is often heralded as the greatest magazine cover artist of the turn of the century. He undeniably captured americana and the emotions associated with small town life, but less spoken to is how influenced he was by his teacher: J.C. Leyendecker.
Even less commonly discussed is how J.C. Leyendecker made his lover the definition of American masculinity.
Joseph Christian Leyendecker was born on March 23, 1874 in Montabaur, Germany, but he soon immigrated to the United States with his family. From an early age, Leyendecker and his younger brother displayed a truly amazing aptitude for art. The two went on to study art at the Chicago Art Institute and later Leyendecker studied in Paris. Both of these periods honed his artistic vision and unique style that would later earn him so much acclaim.
Upon his return to America, the young artist began to illustrate for a company called Manz and Co. During his 60 ad run with the company, he would win a cover competition for Century Magazine, shooting him into the national spotlight. Quickly Leyendecker’s work for magazines like the Post and the Arrow Collar company became iconic household images.
His artwork portrayed American excellence and opulence at its pique. Lavishly dressed men, women, and children drawn to display their beauty and their class compelled millions of American’s to purchase everything from soap to socks. For example, his most well known figure, the “Arrow Collar Man,” would the increase the clothing company’s sales to $32 million the dear the first ad campaign ran. Essentially, he would go on to inspire an entire generation’s aspirations and ideals, including those of F. Scott Fitzgerald as he was creating the Great Gatsby.
As the nation was off buying luxury collars and Post magazines, no one questioned why all of Leyendecker’s men had the same jawline or how most of them were muscular blondes. What was generally just considered “his style” was actually the fact that Leyendecker used just one man as his model for most of his career.
Charles Beach met Leyendecker at the age of 17 and the two men started a whirlwind romance that would last until Leyendecker died of a heart attack nearly 50 years later. They kept the affair mostly private, having only those closest to them in the know.
The true nature of their relationship would not be revealed to the general public for nearly 50 years till a collector of his work began investigating into the artist’s personal life.
In a time where homosexuality was not only disapproved of but illegal, Leyendeckers bold portrayal of his lover as the pinnacle of the American man is a strong reminder of the power of love. It empowers us to create. It emboldens us to proclaim what we otherwise would’ve hid. It is the central crux of art.
J.C. Leyendecker’s work shows all of us not only the power of art and love, but what can be done when an individual arms them self with both.
SOURCES
www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/the-perfect-american-male
https://www.illustrationhistory.org/artists/jc-leyendecker
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/dec/28/entertainment/ca-jc-leyendecker28