The late forties and early fifties was a time of great change for illustration. For the first time we start to see a breakdown of an adherence to a specific "style" of illustration. Before this time illustrators would tend towards one specific style usually set by the prominent illustrators of the time. For example, prior to this time period most illustrators stayed glued to a style like Cole Phillips where the illustrations were realistic and the illustrator played with colors. Before that we had the golden age of illustration where people styled their work like J.C. Leyendecker where illustrations are very realistic and the pallets tend more towards beige and browns. I could go on but I think you get the idea.
Anyways, the fifties was a time when publishers began to accept more independent and varying styles of art like that of Mr. Martin's. Most illustrators styles will reflect the type of work they are getting; for example many famous illustrators before this time found their success with The Saturday Evening Post and thus their illustrations were wholesome and conservative. Martin's calling was jazz album covers and there couldn't be a better match. Like the music itself Martin's covers are spontaneous, personal, inspired, vibrant and yet somehow reserved and nearly chaotic but beautiful all the while. They could be accused of breaking the rules if it all didn't come together so damn well. There is an element of the unknown as if Martin himself wasn't in control of his materials the whole while but one glance at the full body of his work and you would understand it was all part of the plan. Nothing could more accurately describe jazz music itself.
As I have mentioned to you before I have been on something of a jazz bender lately (which has no signs of letting up) and Martin's work is the perfect visual accompaniment to that. Martin was a master of his art; an optical embodiment of the subjects he worked on and he helped open the door for the contemporary field of illustration as we know it and I am proud to share him with you.
As for the double...
So the next post I do will probably be a pretty massive one. I plan on bringing you up to speed with some of the great forces of 50's and 60's jazz. It is a time where pretty much all of the giants of the field were all alive and aware of each other (able to compete and inspire one another) With so much talent in the field everyone sought to differentiate themselves though this often just came naturally. With each musician comes a character personified not only by their actions but by their music itself. In preparation I suggest you make a Grooveshark account so that you can easily store the music I will be throwing at you.
Before that however, I want you to listen to a little pre-jazz tune. Blue music sprang up as early as the turn of the 20th century and is considered the father of both jazz music and rock and roll. Over the years the Blues went through many varying iterations but the one I am hooked on is known as Pre-War Blues that came from the South in the 20's. Bessie Smith is a veritable queen of this sub-genre of Blues and made her fame behind her stunning voice.
A Mississippi Moan is a fine example of just how powerful that voice was. It is a song that speaks to a deep and constant sadness. One that may not be egregious or aggressive but is there at every turn and follows you no matter what path you may take. When you think you may have gotten away it still clings to the fabric of your socks, collecting in the small spaces in your shoes. The only redeeming aspect of this world steeped ankle-deep in the "muddy water" is Smith's voice as she belts out this tune. While Smith conveys sadness she is in no way destroyed. Times may be tough but she is tougher and whether she got that way from growing up in a life of muddy water or if she just happens to be the right woman for the circumstance does not matter. The important part is that she serves as an island for the rest of us when our own waters get too deep handle.
A Mississippi Moan - Bessie Smith
You'll have to let me respond to "A Mississippi Moan" later, perhaps when I see you. I'm listening to it as I write this.
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised you're taken by the art of David Stone Martin. It really does seem like a visual embodiment of jazz. On the "Flying Home" album cover I like the way he scribbled lines over the saxophone. It gives the instrument movement, vibration, and almost a sound.
I also liked the J.C. Leyendecker work. Perhaps that's because the 20s has always captured my imagination. I checked out some of his other work. His men always seem so distinguished. I really like this piece in particular:
http://tinyurl.com/86rb435
Are you ever instructed to try and illustrate a piece in one of these artists' styles?