Joseph Christian Leyendecker (American, 1874-1951). Thanksgiving Crest, The Saturday Evening Post cover,...

Description

Joseph Christian Leyendecker (American, 1874-1951)
Thanksgiving Crest, The Saturday Evening Post cover, November 26, 1932
Oil on canvas
32 x 24 inches (81.3 x 61.0 cm)
Signed lower right: JCLeyedecker

Property from the Michael Dolas Family Collection

PROVENANCE:
The artist;
Michael Dolas, acquired from the above;
By descent to the present owners.

EXHIBITED:
National Museum of American Illustration, Newport, Rhode Island, n.d.;
Haggin Museum, Stockton, California, "Michael Dolas: Capturing the Character of His Country," January 17-February 24, 2019.

LITERATURE:
The Saturday Evening Post, November 26, 1932, cover, illustrated;
L.S. Cutler, J.G. Cutler, J.C. Leyendecker: American Imagist, New York, 2008, p. 154, illustrated.

In Thanksgiving Crest, Joseph Christian Leyendecker offers a strikingly imaginative visual allegory of the holiday-instead of a conventional family table, two young children kneel in prayer over a pie, while above them looms a semi-plucked turkey brandishing a fork and knife. The juxtaposition of innocence and absurd whimsy is exactly the kind of narrative leap that characterizes Leyendecker's holiday work: familiar yet slightly uncanny, evocative without being literal.

Holiday covers were among Leyendecker's most reliable commissions, and Thanksgiving held special resonance. Over decades, he painted multiple Thanksgiving scenes, each one a visual meditation on gratitude, domestic ritual, and American symbolism. In Thanksgiving Crest, he subverts the expected narrative: the children's posture and the pie anchor us in tradition, but the anthropomorphic turkey introduces a playful tension-an image of abundance that winks at its own theatricality.

Technically, the work reveals all of Leyendecker's hallmarks. His rendering of fabrics, light, and surfaces is immaculate-the children's skin tones and ringlets glow softly, their garments carry subtle folds, and the gilded tones of the crest beneath them shimmer with texture. The plumage of the turkey's wings carries both feathers and flesh, balancing grotesque charm with painterly control. Leyendecker's cross-hatched brushwork and confident trademark omission-letting the viewer's imagination fill in subtle gaps-enhance the visual richness without overworking any detail.

Thanksgiving Crest bridges real and surreal, tradition and imagination: it invites viewers-young and old-into a world that is at once comforting and mischievous. This balance of warmth, humor, and painterly virtuosity is a defining strength of Leyendecker's holiday covers. In the hands of a master, even a turkey holding cutlery becomes a symbol of ritual, expectancy, and the uniquely American theater of celebration.

This work also carries special provenance through the late Michael Dolas (1918-2013), a celebrated illustrator and devoted admirer of Leyendecker's genius. Dolas, whose own career flourished in the mid-twentieth century, was renowned for his ability to capture human emotion and narrative with exquisite technical precision. A close friend and protégé of both Norman Rockwell and Leyendecker, Dolas credited them as pivotal influences on his storytelling and compositional approach. When Leyendecker offered Dolas the opportunity to select a group of original Post covers, he hand-picked ten, curating what he called a "teaching collection" that exemplified the master's range and craft. Dolas treasured these works throughout his life-famously storing them under his bed-and ultimately passed them down to his family. Thanksgiving Crest stands as a testament to Leyendecker's enduring influence, preserved through the discerning eye and lifelong admiration of one of his artistic apprentices.


More information about Joseph Christian Leyendecker. See also: Leyendecker, Joseph Christian Artist.

Estimate: $150,000 - $250,000.

*Heritage Auctions strives to provide as much information as possible but encourages in-person inspection by bidders. Statements regarding the condition of objects are only for general guidance and should not be relied upon as complete statements of fact, and do not constitute a representation, warranty or assumption of liability by Heritage. Some condition issues may not be noted in the condition report but are apparent in the provided photos which are considered part of the condition report. Please note that we do not de-frame lots estimated at $1,000 or less and may not be able to provide additional details for lots valued under $500. Heritage does not guarantee the condition of frames and shall not be liable for any damage/scratches to frames, glass/acrylic coverings, original boxes, display accessories, or art that has slipped in frames. All lots are sold "AS IS" under the Terms & Conditions of Auction.