J. C. Leyendecker
This article or section needs expansion. |
Name: | J. C. Leyendecker |
Also Known As: | |
Occupation: | Artist |
Medium: | |
Works: | |
Official Website(s): | |
Fan Website(s): | jcleyendecker on Tumblr |
On Fanlore: | Related pages |
Joseph Christian Leyendecker was a 20th century freelance commercial artist. His art and painting style are frequently subject to pastiche in fanart.
Influence on Source Text
The Great Gatsby
Advertisements feature heavily in The Great Gatsby, most infamously in the eyes of T. J. Eckleburg, but also in chapter 7, when Daisy tells Gatsby that he looks just like "the advertisement of the man" to express her attraction to him.
A 2009 paper by Thomas Dilworth argues that this "advertisement of the man" is in reference to the Arrow Collar Man. To make this point, he cites Daisy's phrasing of the ad as advertising a man rather than a product, Fitzgerald referencing the ads in previous works, peers of Fitzgerald's describing the Arrow Collar ads similarly, and thematic resonance with the Arrow Collar Man representing the American Dream that The Great Gatsby seeks to hollow out. [1]
Some have drawn connections between Leyendecker's sexuality and queer readings of Nick Carraway, but Fitzgerald's awareness of the former is unclear.
Interview with the Vampire (TV series)
In an interview, costume designer Carol Cushing describes Louis and Lestat's suiting in the first season as "a love letter to Leyendecker," discussing the Arrow Collar Man's status as a male standard of beauty at the time, as well as being moved by Leyendecker falling in love with the model behind the Arrow Collar Man.[2] Fans have noticed many references in Lestat's wardrobe, particularly his gold robe being pulled from a 1916 advertisement.[3]
Team Fortress 2
The artstyle of Team Fortress 2 was heavily inspired by Leyendecker[4]. His art is regarded highly by many fanartists in the fandom and pastiches of his works are common.
Fan Comments
Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
One nonny on Fail-FandomAnon suggested Leyendecker's popularity on Dark Academia Tumblr as a source for his popularity in fandom:
In general, he was suuuuuper popular on gay history tumblr of the sort that now gets referred to as “dark academia” circa 2016 (those were the circles I ran in at the time, and there was often Leyendecker on my dash), and I think bled into fandom popularity from places like that.Anonymous, Fail-Fandomanon [5]
Some of Leyendecker's Saturday Evening Post covers depict mammy caricatures of Black women. Though some Black fans enjoy his other illustrations of Black people and how he renders darker skin generally,[6] the same fans are bewildered by other fans' lack of awareness of common antiblack caricatures and, knowing he can portray Black people accurately and compassionately, how many of his works do not.
i understand the impulse to marvel at these — leyendecker's work shows a level of comprehension of how to illustrate dark skin that would put 95% of white illustrators today to shame.but why are ppl failing to ask why his black figures are depicted as img 1 + never like 2 or 3?[7]
ive seen many recreations of leyendeckers work + much discussion of how his queer identity informed his work — but very little about how, as a magazine illustrator, his body of work is deeply entrenched in normative and revisionist depictions of american culture + history[8]
this lack of reflection is why we have people gushing over that post's rendering, not being able to identify the world's most copy-paste mammy caricature, and not thinking "why is THIS the only depiction of a black woman ive seen from this artist"[9]
fwiw, leyendecker did illustrate black people outside racial caricatures. he had agency in his creative decisions, and that is evident in the way he juxtaposes subjects of color with white subjects in some of his work, highlighting the absurdity of racial + class difference.[10]
still, the majority of his illustrations of black adults depict them in slave, servant, or laborer roles, w/ nowhere near as much variety as his white subjects. and i have YET to find a single leyendecker illustration of a black woman that wasn't a mammy 😐[11]
all that to say, stop sharing this like it's amazing art + not a damning historical artifact of antiblackness in the history of american illustration. this should NOT be going over so many people's heads.[12]bikenesmith on Twitter, Nov 3, 2024
Examples of Fanart Pastiche
This article or section needs expansion. |
A State of Mind (1905)
This piece depicts a woman in a dragon costume and a man holding her hand. A 2021 Tumblr post connects it to Robert W. Chambers's The Adventures of a Modest Man.[13]
Use may correlate to characters with monstrous interests (as in Pacific Rim pastiches) or supernatural trueforms (as in Good Omens pastiches).
- A state of mind Ineffables., Archived version by garmrheim (Ineffable Husbands)
- a little bit of dinopants, based on Leyendeckers ‘A State of Mind’, Archived version by mothcraft (Diego/Hot Pants)
- Art Collab with @newtfvcker to draw Newt and Hermann from Pacific Rim, Archived version by rickannigan (Hermann/Newt)
- MY HALF OF A COLLAB WITH @rickannigan !!!!!!!, Archived version by newtfvcker (Hermann/Newt)
- Another Leyendecker study, Archived version by star-spangled-bastard (Charlotte/The Man In Black)
Boy Graduate (1920)
Sometimes also called The Graduate or June Graduate, this illustration was a magazine cover for The Saturday Morning Post, celebrating that year's graduating college students.[14] This piece is often comically compared to Norman Rockwell's 1959 cover for the same magazine.[15][16]
- gale of waterdeep, Archived version by mimi-maru (Gale)
- Inspired by this tweet, Archived version by st4rdust-machiine (Piero Joplin and Kirin Jindosh) comparing the Leyendecker and Rockwell versions.
- Inspired from JC Leyendecker’s graduation painting., Archived version by agent-gei (Charlie Morningstar)
- Luxord in a study of Leyendecker’s June Graduate, Archived version by cadaverie (Luxord)
- they really said: benoit blanc aka the worlds best dressed detective, Archived version by maalidoesart (Benoit Blanc)
- Manwë Súlimo x "June Graduate", Archived version by rinthecap (Manwë Súlimo)
- Now the true lesson ends ✌️🧑🎓, Archived version by papayasprout (Cyrus Albright)
- Adam Parrish as Leyerndecker’s “Boy Graduate”, Archived version by juiceboxjimmy (Adam Parrish)
- my BOOK WIFE, Archived version by coralchimaera (Lucienne)
The Butterfly Couple (1923)
See also: Magnet, another butterfly-themed couples redraw trend.
- isobel and aylin as leyendecker’s butterfly couple, Archived version by _mimimaru (Isobel/Aylin)
- Leyendeckers Butterfly lovers but make it Isobel and Dame Aylin, Archived version by magsthemagpie (Isobel/Aylin) for Love By The River
- 'til death, Archived version by moodsworks for nobodys-baby-now (Tav/Astarion)
- The Butterfly Couple, Archived version by ghost-of-dragoon (Bayonetta/Jeanne)
- The Butterfly Couple 💚🩵, Archived version by cheese-doorstop48 (Todoroki/Deku)
- fanart for Titanomachia, Archived version by scootsaboot (Timothy/Rhys), inspired by the fic Titanomachia, Archived version by wheatandchaff
- never knew i had a heart someone could hold, Archived version by eden-falls (Ouni/Suou)
- based on j.c. leyendecker's 1923 study for butterfly couple..., Archived version by gumsneaker (Two Face/The Riddler)
- Ianto Jones and Jack Harkness as "The Butterfly Lovers", Archived version by oscarthegrouch24 (Jack/Ianto)
- wish u were here by twojamie-o-clock (Doctor/Jamie)
- did a sebhawke inspired by one of my fave leyendecker pieces, Archived version by persephoneggsy (Sebastian/Hawke)
- RAAAHHH SELFSHIP/OC X CANON ART STUDY OF J.C. LEYENDECKER’S BUTTERFLY COUPLE, Archived version by starfallsoup (selfship with Haurchefant Greystone)
- fanart, Archived version by radioinactivity (Zenoswol)
- :') [Unable to archive] by drumandlute (Cyno/Tighnari)
- A sort of study of Leyendecker’s Butterfly Couple. [Unable to archive] by nanikatabetai (Ogata/Yuusaku)
- ‘cause i love you, honeybear’, Archived version by stygmatus (Sugimoto/Vasily)
- tina and quinn as j.c. leyendecker’s “study for butterfly couple” by porcelainvino (Tina/Quinn)
- at the edge of the world by surinnit (Ineffable Husbands)
- Aziraphale and Crowley as The Butterfly Couple by bi-biscuit (Ineffable Husbands)
- girl help the cannibals are kissing again by fangbangrr (Will/Hannibal)
- Hualian as "The Butterfly Couple" by Leyendecker by kamagaem (Hualian)
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart
- "monsters in love." 🕰🥀 by cursed-iris (Jack/Acacia)
- Since everybody is doing leyendecker’s stuff I joined the fun and drew this by tanis-drawings-2point0 (Jon/Sasha)
- Finally got around to finishing a version of this drawing after like 4 years! by egglygreg (Ladynoir)
- I will never get tired of drawing them; by fedyjkn (Gabriel/Nathalie)
- butterfly couple by dt75artblog (Alexander/Katerina)
- perfectworldshipping as jc leyendecker's butterfly couple <3 by arevixie (PerfectWorldShipping, Lysandre/Sycamore)
- here’s the akiyuka print i designed for @precure20f by adriabun (Akiyuka), for Habatake!: A Pretty Cure 20th Anniversary Zine
- inspired by "The Butterfly Couple" J.C. Leyendecker by fishfingersandscarves (Lucienne/Gault)
- based on leyendecker’s butterfly couple by lesbiandeancas (Dean/Castiel)
- Inspired by Leyendecker’s “Butterfly Couple” by artlyloser (Dean/Castiel)
This Is How You Lose The Time War
- My designs of Red and Blue by strawberri-draws (Red/Blue)
Couple Descending a Staircase (1932)
- I’ve been thinking about Laerryn and Loquatius a normal amount by glorfy-the-bright-haired-ellon (Laerryn/Loquatius)
- Eva and Diabolik version ❤️🗡️ by linaxart (Eva/Diabolik)
- show me how to make it real by cloudmancy (ACOFAF, Rue/Wuvvy)
- based on Couple Descending a Staircase by vitikko1 (Valeria/Montague)
- a good omens wip i’m never gonna get around to finishing by singersalvageart (Ineffable Husbands)
- A redrew a painting by J. C. Leyendecker as Aziraphale and Crowley. Why? Because it fucks. by vivi-ships (Ineffable Husbands)
- Happy birthday to The Asshole ™✨ by fritz-on-a-blitz (Frederick the Great/Hans Hermann von Katte)
- Leyendecker style study featuring Zelda and Link by julnites (Link/Zelda)
- I read the entire webcomic in four days while I was sick, worth it by littlebeesart (Hades/Persephone)
- Buckynat Art Parody Series No. 1 by yawpyawp (Bucky/Natasha)
- Lokius as “Couple Descending a Staircase” by JC Leyendecker. by khoned (Loki/Mobius)
- Joseph & Nicholas by linaxart (Joe/Nicky)
- leyendecker jordeclan. leyenjordecker. by deklo (Jordan/Declan)
- raven & lloyd in l.c. leyendecker's "couple descending a staircase". why not! by jasviart (Raven/Lloyd)
- Leyendecker study but make it Kanej! by basicbard (Kaz/Inej)
- Vampire Stobin (with a capital P) 🦇🩸 by sentient-trash (platonic Steve & Robin)
Couple in Boat (1922)
This painting was a 1922 Arrow Collar ad.[17] Pastiche illustrations of this piece may focus on one or both figures pictured.
- My Little Star ⭐️ by illustrative-robot (Astarion)
- Happy Valentine’s Day 😘 ~ by fwishbone (Beau/Jester)
- Orodreth helped me with this Leyendecker style study :) by elyksina (Orodreth)
- Leyendecker study with Mulder and Scully ✨ by scarymonsters-andsupercreeps (Mulder/Scully)
The Courtship (1905)
This painting was the December 1905 cover of Success Magazine.[18]
- oh you, my electric blue! by fwishbone (Beau/Jester)
- kitty and tina as j.c. leyendecker’s “the courtship” by porcelainvino (Tina/Kitty)
- yet another leyendecker redraw, a lá aziracrow! by izel-scribbles (Ineffable Husbands)
- The Courtship // Leyendecker study by curiosity-killed (HuaLian)
- im p sure this is the closest its ever gonna get to done but i like it too much to not post it by marberrie (Annabelle Cane)
- Art assignment :-] by mothhmans (Spock/Uhura)
The Donchester – the Cluett Dress Shirt (1911)
- Third of the Leyendecker series ✨ by littlebeesart (Jayce/Viktor)
- Leyendecker lads Astarion and Dris by stoupax (Tav/Astarion)
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
- „you have to stop rescuing me“ by maalidoesart (Coriolanus/Sejanus)
- It's Van Helsing Day! by bluelightningcommander (Dracula/Van Helsing)
- Portrait of Two Men by Toydreamings (Achilles/Patroclus)
- tfw ur arch nemesis boything starts talking about some political thing u could give less than a shit about by iheartbeers (Draco/Harry)
- Leyendecker redraw bc am I really a fanartist if I don't do a Leyendecker redraw? by deydenier (Reigen/Serizawa)
- J.C. Leyendecker style studies with RDR2 characters by CaptainButtmerica
- you are not alone by maalidoesart (Charles/Erik)
Man and Woman Dancing (1923)
This piece was another Arrow Collar advertisement.[19]
- The ineffable husbands as “Couple Dancing” by Leyendecker by axel-tiredstudent (Ineffable Husbands)
- held too tight by officialspec (Grace/Simon)
- Whee! I made a picture. by sapentia-arboretum (Haruka/Michiru)
- msr leyendecker study by times-to-die (Scully/Mulder)
- My final print for AN (G15)!! by snotprince (Victor/Yuuri) for Anime North 2017
Men Reading (1914)
- Happy birthday Viktor! ✨✨ by littlebeesart (Jayce/Viktor)
- live laugh leyendecker by c0rvidski (Ineffable Husbands)
- A dapper Bachelor, perhaps in his days of study before the events of the Town-On-Gorkhon, and the Plague by arazmis (Daniil Dankovsky)
- Our New Air Of Authority / Our Sentinel Of Misery by vinnystaysawake (Cyrus)
Romeo and Juliet (1929)
- Sometimes sad cat wizards deserve to get swept off their feet by their narrative foils. by saturdaysky (Essek/Caleb)
- Remake of Leyendecker's Romeo and Juliet for Ineffable Con #2 by aivelin (Ineffable Husbands) for The Ineffable Con
- Zelink as Romeo and Juliet by JC Leyendecker for @AtelierHylia’s second volume by mimi-maru (Link/Zelda) for Atelier Hylia
- Scott x Emma brainrot by enragedandy (Scott/Emma)
Vacation (1907)
- My next Leyendecker piece from my arcane / Leyendecker series✨ by littlebeesart (Cait/Vi)
- 𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍𝖒𝖆𝖙𝖈𝖍 by toydreaming (platonic Alecto and Tisiphone)
- My third image in a series of Leyendecker studies by sapientia-arborum (Rei/Minako)
Weapons for Liberty (1918)
This piece advertised USA bonds to fund the first World War.[20]
- A Leyendecker Poster Tribute based off of this WWI Bonds Advert. by youkaiyume (Diana Prince and Steve Trevor)
- The Saturday Ylissean Post by snotprince (Lucina and Robin)
Other Paintings
A Different Dancing Couple
The Band Ghost
- untitled by missygoesmeow
- Polin 🐝🪻 by kuronekoartsblog (Penelope/Colin)
Multi
The Magnus Archives
- https://apocalypticsinn.tumblr.com/post/736116546941894656/all-the-art-ive-done-so-far-based-on-jc multifandom compilation, consider identifying solo posts
Resources
- Faking the Leyendecker Style, Archived version by tf2humbug
- jcleyendecker Tumblr fanblog
References
- ^ DILWORTH, THOMAS. “‘The Great Gatsby’ and the Arrow Collar Man.” The F. Scott Fitzgerald Review, vol. 7, 2009, pp. 80–93. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/41583011. Accessed 28 Oct. 2024.
- ^ https://www.amc.com/blogs/interview-with-the-vampire-q-and-a-costume-designer-carol-cutshall-on-suiting-and-silhouettes-in-storyville--1060598
- ^ https://www.tumblr.com/inkyswampbones/730984246649454592/the-costume-designer-carol-cutshall-talks-in
- ^ "a cartoon-like visual style based on the art of Dean Cornwell, J. C Leyendecker, and Norman Rockwell," from the Team Fortress 2 Wiki Entry, Archived version on the Official Team Fortress Wiki, circa. 2024
- ^ Anonymous. Re: When did men's underwear ads become super gay. Fail-FandomAnon, 28 May 2021. (Accessed 24 Oct. 2024).
- ^ https://x.com/ajthedonut/status/1853198245876605242, Archived
- ^ https://x.com/bikenesmith/status/1853217780356583527
- ^ https://x.com/bikenesmith/status/1853219759468200256
- ^ https://x.com/bikenesmith/status/1853223067985817975
- ^ https://x.com/bikenesmith/status/1853227621728874548
- ^ https://x.com/bikenesmith/status/1853229176850948543
- ^ https://x.com/bikenesmith/status/1853232272880631922
- ^ https://www.tumblr.com/mewbusi/676278173715103744/ok-so-after-taking-a-look-into-this-i-was-able
- ^ https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/sep-keyword/j-c-leyendecker-cover/
- ^ https://x.com/saj_who/status/1355595574347751424, Archived
- ^ https://x.com/shoomlah/status/1355795420216090627, Archived
- ^ https://peoplehiddeninhistory.com/j-c-leyendecker-iconic-illustrator-of-the-early-20th-century/
- ^ https://www.illustratedgallery.com/artwork/original/687/by-joseph-christian-leyendecker/
- ^ https://costumesociety.org.uk/blog/post/review-j.c-leyendecker-exhibition-at-the-new-york-historical-society
- ^ https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p16007coll33/id/108975%7Cdpla_id=5a61a02b33c3c4d616753686a4c70ac5%7Clocal_id=/