J.C. Leyendecker

Joseph Christian (J.C.) Leyendecker (1874-1951) was the German-born American illustrator behind the famous Arrow Collar Man advertising campaign, through which he created the ideal image of American masculinity during the early part of the twentieth century. Leyendecker was a wildly successful and sought after illustrator during the Golden Age of American Illustration, primarily working in commercial art, specifically magazine and poster design. Leyendecker distinguished himself through his innovative artistic style and marketing ability. He knew how to tell a story through shape and form, as well as how to appeal to people’s desires, tapping into the American psyche and creating an ideal to aspire towards, and Leyendecker’s illustrations became synonymous with the American life, dream, and aspiration.

Leyendecker shaped American visual culture and defined the decade of the 1920’s through his ability as a visual storyteller. He was the artist to originate American symbols and traditions, which still persist today. Leyendecker began the tradition of giving flowers on Mother’s Day, and created the images of the New Year’s Baby and the modern Santa Claus. He also cultivated the ideal American masculinity as an image of cosmopolitan elegance and style, determining through his illustrations what the new trend was. He achieved this by utilizing bold visuals and a strategic use of typography, brushwork, color, and layout to revolutionize design—whether in the fields of illustration, marketing, graphics, or publication.

There is no better example of how Leyendecker was a pioneer in the worlds of design and marketing than the Arrow Collar Man. Through this campaign, the artist created the first male sex symbol and advertising star, who sold a lifestyle that audiences desired. The Arrow Collar Man was sleek, stylish, attractive, and, unbeknownst to his audience, from the lens of a homosexual artist. Leyendecker’s menswear advertisements carry a homoerotic undertone, through his celebration of the male physique and intimate scenes of male companionship.

Leyendecker was a trailblazer whose approach was pivotal for the development of modern advertising, and who served as an influence for subsequent generations of illustrators and marketers. He revolutionized advertisement and branding; not only do his designs still maintain a timeless feeling, but his contributions to design are seen in marketing campaigns today. However, despite being highly celebrated and having produced images which still resonate, Leyendecker is often overshadowed by his successors. The Great Depression and World War II, along with the rise of photography’s popularity, caused a shift in social aesthetics towards a more wholesome, conservative self-image, which led to a decline in Leyendecker’s career. He was overtaken by his successor, Norman Rockwell, who provided the softened images America wanted in this new era. Despite being a celebrity in his day, Leyendecker led a secretive personal life on account of his sexuality, causing a lack of biographical information.

After having been forgotten for so long, Leyendecker deserves to be credited for his contributions to so many aspects of American visual culture and design history as a highly influential and successful American illustrator.

This research was originally presented at the Poster House in November 2024.