History of Illustration/ 1930’s
Review
*portions of this material are from the sites: bpib.com; and americanarchives.com. This presentation is for
educational (read only) use only and may not be copied, distributed or used in any other manner.
Historical Summary
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The Great Depression, Dust Bowl
The Rise of the Nazi Party (Hitler), Facism (Mussolini) and Imperialism (Japan) sets the stage
for WWII
Many artists struggle due to the Depression and the drop in publishing and advertising
assignments.
The tough economic times lead to the popularity of PULPS, done on cheap paper in black and
white line and brush.
With the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and the NEW DEAL artists get work through
the WPA (Works Progress Administration) and murals are done all over the country by
illustrators in government buildings.
With the rise of movies and movies stars, Posters are a great source of illustration
commissions.
At the end of the 30’s, Esquire and The New Yorker are launched giving illustrators such as
George Petty (pinups) new opportunities for work.
The biggest boost to the economy comes from the advent of WWII and America’s
preparations for the war effort.
Floyd Davis
-Davis initially made a reputation for himself with his skills as someone who could capture
the rich, beautiful people of the 1920s: handsome men, ideally beautiful women . But in the
30’s with the change in the times, he learned to capture people as they really are and with a
cartoonist's sensibilities and a fresh humor, he expanded into story art and ad work that
called needed characters from every walk of life and social standing. The exaggerated
gestures of his main characters became a recognizable aspect of his imagery.
-His wife, and some might think (as he did) a more prominet artist was Gladys Rockmore
Davis (he is known to have said, "Why bother with me when there is a real artist in the
family?"
-In 1961, he was inducted into the Society of Illustrator's Hall of Fame.
McClelland Barclay
-Made his name, not through his illustration work, but also in jewelry, sculpture and other
decorative arts from his own firm, The McClelland Barclay Art Company.
-His illustrations often depicted the American beauty, from flapper to film star, usually as a
fiery redhead or strawberry blonde.
-He was commissioned to produce many advertising illustrations, but he became best know
for the Body by Fisher ads for General Motors.
-In the 40’s he concentrated on War poster, camouflage design, and battlefield
correspondence work. He was a naval Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, where many
illustrations were done for the Navy. Barclay was killed in action, WWII.
Haddon Sundblom
-Sundblom is best remembered for his advertising work, specifically the Santa Claus
advertisements he painted for the Coca Cola Company in the 1930s
-Sundblom is also recognized as a major influence on many well known pin-up artists In
the mid-1930s, he began to paint pin-ups and glamour pieces for calendars that could be
found everywhere during the 40’s and 50’s. Sundblom's last assignment, in 1972, was a
cover painting for Playboy’s Christmas issue.
Pruett Carter
-A sense of dignity and good taste are hallmarks of Pruett Carter’s illustrations. His
heroines, noted for their gentle, patrician beauty, were portrayed against equally refined
backgrounds.
-In 1918 Carter produced the first of his many illustrations for magazines. (Woman’s Home
Companion) This was began a 40 years career for such editorial clients as:The Ladies Home
Journal, The Delineator, McCalls, Pictorial Review, Good Housekeeping, American, Colliers
among others.
-Carter was also noteworthy for his teaching. He taught at the Grand Central Art School in
NYC. Following a move to the west coast, he taught at the Chouinard Art Institute (in Los
Angeles) and served as head of the Illustration department for over 25 years.
George Petty
-The famous Petty Girls made their debut in the very first issue of Esquire Magazine in the
late 1930. They were so well received that MGM made a movie about her. The Petty’s girls
often were depicted with white telephone, or some other simple prop, often shown in line
only with no color or tone so as not to deter from the beautiful girl.
-He was able to leverage this popularity into having these desirable beauties in many ad
campaigns such as The Ice Capades, Rigid Tool Company, Old Gold Cigarettes,and TWA.
John LaGatta
-LaGatta’s work became famous from the 20s through the early 40s. He became known for
his beautiful illustrations of women and a distinctive use of a multi-media palette of chalk
and wash.
-His lush, unique media approach made his illustrations popular with many of the day’s
fashion and women's magazines such as the Saturday Evening Post, Ladies Home Journal,
Cosmopolitan) and also with many well know national advertising accounts.