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Topic: J. C. Leyendecker: America's "Other" Illustrator
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OFFBEAT
IE # 39
Member # 873
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posted
Thanks for posting this! I almost forgot!!!
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"Get Rich, or Die Drawing!"
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ApeLad
IE # 231
Member # 3186
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posted
I love Leyendecker. When I was in NY several years ago, I convinced my wife to help me hunt down his home in New Rochelle, Westchester County. It's a beautiful place, but if I remember right it had been converted into some type of pre-school. It was early in the morning so I didn't dare knock on the door.
Here are some things I remember about J.C. from an illustration history class (some of these could be wrong, it's been a while. Feel free to correct me):
His brother Frank was also an excellent illustrator, but died relatively young (in his 50's I think) of a drug overdose.
Joseph believed in living beyond his means as a way of inspiring him to keep working. Not necessarily wise, but illustrators got paid a lot more back then.
He had a brief falling out with Norman Rockwell over Rockwell's adoption and reliance on using a balopticon (an early overhead projector) for his illustrations.
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OFFBEAT
IE # 39
Member # 873
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posted
I went to this show on Sunday.. EXCELLENT SHOW!!!
Leyendecker is truly amazing. Seeing the work in the flesh is awe inspiring!!
For those that can't make it down to Fullerton, the Haggin Museum has a very nice photo gallery of the show, and a downloadable lecture..
http://hagginmuseum.org/exhibitions/leyendecker/index.html
This guy posted pics from the show on his blog here..
http://www.louisgonzales.com/blog/?p=33
![[bow]](graemlins/bow.gif) 
Baffles me that there are some people whou wouldn't consider this art.
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"Get Rich, or Die Drawing!"
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OFFBEAT
IE # 39
Member # 873
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posted
quote:
He had a brief falling out with Norman Rockwell over Rockwell's adoption and reliance on using a balopticon (an early overhead projector) for his illustrations.
They must've patched things up.. cause Rockwell was one of his pallbearers.
I like their relationship.. Rockwell being considered America's Illustrator.. small town and apple pie and Leyendecker was a coke-addict homosexual (during McCarthyism, was a big social faux pas).. and they seemed like best of friends.
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"Get Rich, or Die Drawing!"
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The Mod
Administrator
Member # 854
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posted
I thought this thread deserved to be on General Discussion so I moved it up.
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bigshot
Member
Member # 1024
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posted
Leyendecker and Rockwell attended classes at the National Academy of Design together, didn't they?
See ya
Steve
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OFFBEAT
IE # 39
Member # 873
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posted
Nope.. Leyendecker studied 4 years at the Chicago Art Institute. and then he and his brother frank studied for 2 years academy Julien in Paris. I *think* I read that Mucha was studying at the academy during the same time as the Leyendeckers.
Rockwell Studied during high school at the New York School of Art, and then afterwards at the National academy of Design, and then the Art Students League, where he learned from Thomas Fogarty and George Bridgman.
Leyendecker was 20 years older than Rockwell, and Rockwell considered him his mentor and refered to him always as "The GREAT J.C. Leyendecker"
Rockwell respected him so much that he stopped doing Saturday Evening post covers.. one less than the number that Leyendecker did, so not to surpass his former mentor.
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"Get Rich, or Die Drawing!"
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OFFBEAT
IE # 39
Member # 873
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posted
I remembered this story from Rockwell's Biography "My Adventures as an Illustrator" (Great Book BTW!)
and found it online.. (paraphrased) But the set up in the book was better.. cause Rockwell was super stressed out about meeting his idol.. worried that his home wasn't "nice enough" ... was making sure that the house was spotless, and that he, and his family were dressed up... and then this went down...
Norman Rockwell referred to him as "the great J.C. Leyendecker." in his autobiography, My Adventures as an Illustrator, Rockwell acknowledges Leyendecker's influence and inspiration. They were friends and neighbors. Rockwell's autobiography devotes a chapter, The Mansion on Mount Tom Road to Leyendecker. He tells of their first social evening when J.C. and his brother Frank were invited to the Rockwell's home for dinner. Rackwell hired a cook to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner in July, complete with turkey and trimmings. After a very awkward beginning of the evening, they were called in to dinner. When the cook came through the kitchen door with the turkey, she slipped on the edge of the rug and the turkey rolled under the table. Rockwell crawled under the table from one side and Leyendecker from the other. They met over the turkey which was lying on its side with stuffing gushing from its breast. "That smells good," Leyendecker said as he tasted the stuffing with his finger. When the turkey was put on another platter and dinner was served, the conversation and laughter flowed and the artists became fast friends and remained friends for over twenty-five years."
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"Get Rich, or Die Drawing!"
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