Joseph Christian Leyendecker (American, 1874-1951). Town Crier, The Saturday Evening Post cover, July 4, 1925. Oil on ca...

Description

Joseph Christian Leyendecker (American, 1874-1951)
Town Crier, The Saturday Evening Post cover, July 4, 1925
Oil on canvas
27 x 20 inches (68.6 x 50.8 cm)
Signed with artist's monogram lower left: JCL

PROVENANCE:
Orison W. MacPherson (1898-1966), New Rochelle, New York;
Orison W. MacPherson (1935-2022), Darien, Connecticut, by descent, 1966;
By descent to the present owner.

EXHIBITED:
The Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, "J. C. Leyendecker: A Retrospective," co-curated by The Norman Rockwell Museum and Illustration House, Inc., New York, November 8, 1997-May 25, 1998;
National Museum of American Illustration, Newport, Rhode Island, 2016 (one-year loan).

"Hear ye! Hear ye!" The trade of Town Crier is a long tradition beginning with the ring of a bell followed by a loud, clear voice announcing the news of the day to the bellman's fellow citizens. In Revolutionary America where even newspapers were scarce, the Town Crier held special significance - announcing new laws, taxes, protests, battles won and lost. For the majority of colonials, the Town Crier was the only consistent way to hear news from other colonies and even across the sea. Most notably, it is through the Town Criers that the Declaration of Independence was read to the citizens of the colonies on July 8th, 1776. For many, it was a call to arms: for the world, it was a proclamation of change. It is this iconic moment, a watershed event in the history of democracy played out in towns and villages across colonial America, that Joseph Christian Leyendecker captured in the present work, Town Crier, for his July 4th, 1925 cover of The Saturday Evening Post.

A gifted and inimitable draughtsman, Joseph Christian Leyendecker stands as a principal figure in the Golden Age of Illustration. As the creator of more than 300 covers for The Saturday Evening Post, Leyendecker's rise in the illustration world exactly paralleled the modernization of the magazine from 1899-1937 under editor George Horace Lorimer, who sought to broaden readership by appealing to the "average American" - hardworking, patriotic, practical, and upright middle-class men and women.

Throughout his tenure at The Saturday Evening Post, Leyendecker created numerous holiday covers such as the New Year's babies, fashionable Easters, Thanksgiving celebrations, and Yuletide carols, all of which speak to the citizens of America with a patriotic and wholesome charm. For the Independence Day issues, Leyendecker pitched this national fervor to its ultimate heights in his artwork, often featuring colonial figures such as General George Washington, Minute Men, Drummer Boys, Liberty Bell Ringers, and in the case of the present work, a Town Crier. Presented in his role's traditional 18th-century dress including a reddish-brown coat ornamented with brass buttons, white breeches and a tricorne hat, Leyendecker's Town Crier is shown in a strictly frontal pose, mouth open wide as he proclaims his important news. Lest the viewer forget the holiday celebrated on his July 4th covers, Leyendecker emblazoned '1776' or 'July 4th' across the background. These poignant covers pressed on the patriotic pulse of the viewer, especially as World Wars were fought and won. In the present work, Leyendecker's figure of the Town Crier pulls the audience in with his nostalgic charm, as well as with the remarkable piece of paper he holds in his hand before him. A master of handling white paint, Leyendecker created here a magnificent trompe l'oeil effect: the white sheet of paper looks to have been tightly folded then unfolded, leaving behind the creases which catch highlights and shadows as the Town Crier reads out his monumental news from it. The artist's lively brushwork creates a sensory illusion no matter where we look - we can almost hear the bell, hear the call that was heard around the world, hear the "Hear ye, Hear ye! When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary ..."

The earliest-known owner of Leyendecker's Town Crier was the American illustrator, Orison W. MacPherson (1898-1966), who illustrated more than 70 fictional stories for The Saturday Evening Post during the later 1920s and through the mid-1930s, overlapping with the period Leyendecker produced his best covers for the magazine. Born in Pictou Landing, Nova Scotia, Canada, MacPherson left the region where he grew up to train at the Ontario Art School, and then moved to New York City where he studied at the Art Students League and pursued a career in art. Within a fairly short time, illustration commissions starting coming in not only from The Saturday Evening Post but also from Good Housekeeping, and several Canadian publications including MacLean's magazine and Chatelaine. MacPherson also produced a notable series of images for Agatha Christie's detective novel Cards on the Table (Collins Crime Club, London, 1936), as well as many other commercial illustrations and advertisements for national companies such as Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation. Since MacPherson's death in 1966 the painting has descended within the same family for 56 years. It has been exhibited twice. Although no record survives indicating where the elder Orison MacPherson acquired Town Crier, there is a possibility he acquired the painting from the artist, whom he may have known from his days at the Post, or possibly from Leyendecker's estate in New Rochelle, New York, which is where MacPherson also resided.


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



*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.