Joseph Christian Leyendecker

GERMANY (1874-1951) Illustration study "Santa Claus with elbows on table", 1938 Preliminary study for an advertisement in the Philadelphia Evening Standard. Joseph Christian Leyendecker was one of the most prominent and financially successful freelance commercial artists in the U.S. He was active between 1895 and 1951 producing drawings and paintings for hundreds of posters, books, advertisements, and magazine covers and stories. As the premier cover illustrator for the enormously popular Saturday Evening Post for much of the first half of the 20th century, Leyendecker's work both reflected and helped mold many of the visual aspects of the era's culture in America. The mainstream image of Santa Claus as a jolly fat man in a red fur-trimmed coat was popularized by Leyendecker, as was the image of the New Year Baby. Oil on canvas, Not signed 7.5 x 11 in. (19.05 x 27.94 cm.) PRICE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST Giclée prints of this painting are available upon request.