Edward McKnight Kauffer: A Vanguard of Modern Visual Communication
Edward McKnight Kauffer stands as an emblematic figure in the annals of 20th-century design, a pioneer who not only witnessed but also shaped the modernist revolution in visual communication. His journey from a budding artist in Montana to a celebrated designer in London and New York showcases the evolution of design across continents and eras. This blog post delves into Kauffer&#;s life, work, and enduring influence, illustrating how he became one of the most influential poster artists and graphic designers of his time.
Early Beginnings and the Armory Show Influence
Born in Montana in , Edward Leland Kauffer&#;s artistic journey began in the bookshops and art schools of San Francisco. A scholarship from Professor Joseph McKnight transported him to Paris, where the seeds of modernism were sown in his creative psyche. The Armory Show, which Kauffer encountered en route to Paris, unveiled the shock of the new &#; Duchamp, Picasso, Matisse, and other European modernists who forever changed his outlook on art.
London Calling: A New Home for Modernist Expression
The outbreak of WWI rerouted Kauff
Kauffer was one of the most gifted and internationally admired poster artists of the period An American by birth, he studied painting in Paris before the First World War, settled in London in and dominated the poster hoardings of England between the wars. Kauffer brought a new distinction to advertising design, insisting that the highest visual values should be enlisted in this field. His flair and integrity as a designer, and the brilliance of his personailty, won him an international reputation. Beginning his career as a painter, he was initially influenced by Van Gogh and the French Post-Impressionists. For a period before the First World War he was close to the Camden Town artists, particularly Harold Gilman and Charles Ginner and he adopted their technique of using heavy impasto. In he became associated with Wyndham Lewis and Group X and in his first wood-engravings such as Flight he showed his interest in Cubism and geometrical design. As a designer, Kauffer's work was seen by an audience of millions and his name became synonymous with posters of radical innovation, superb colour schemes and formidable attracting power. His many clients included Roger Fry, T. S. Eliot a
Edward McKnight Kauffer was one of Britain’s most highly influential 20th Century Poster Artists and Graphic Designers. Beginning his professional life as a painter, Kauffer soon embraced poster art as a form of visual communication, enabling the public to view Modern Art through the display of his posters on the streets.
In the early s, Kauffer lived in San Francisco and worked as a bookseller whilst studying at Art School in the evenings. At the shop he sparked up a good friendship with a regular customer who expressed keen interest in his paintings. Joseph McKnight, a professor at Utah University, saw great promise in Kauffer’s work and in offered to sponsor him. McKnight loaned him enough money to travel to Paris to continue his studies at Académie Moderne. In respect, Kauffer dutifully adopted ‘McKnight’ as his middle name.
En-route to Paris, Kauffer got the opportunity to see the Armory Show in Chicago in March This show introduced America to everything of importance in European post-impressionist painting at the time: Duchamp, Cezanne, Picasso, Gauguin, Matisse, Van Gogh, and Kandinsky. It was so unlike any art America had previously seen.
Biographies
The information below comes from the &#;Dr. Leslie&#; website and was written by Erin Malone:
Edward McKnight Kauffer studied in evening classes at the Mark Hopkins Institute in San Francisco and spent six months at the Chicago Institute of Art. He was first exposed to modern European Art at the Armory Show () in Chicago. It was after this show that he was sponsored by Professor McKnight of the University of Utah to study painting in Paris. Kauffer took McKnight&#;s name out of gratitude. In , he went to England and remained there until While in England he made his name as a poster artist. His first commissions were for the London Underground. The publicity manager, Frank Pick was instrumental in distributing the creative and artistic designs by Kauffer. Inspired by the artistic movements of the day, Futurism, Cubism, Art Deco and Surrealism, Kauffer created hundreds of posters for the London Underground, Shell, British Petroleum and Eastman and Sons. He also designed several book jackets and illustrations for the Nonesuch Press and Faber and Guyer. In , he became Art Director of the publishing house Lund & Humphries. In , the Museum of Modern Art held a one m
Biographies you may also like
Edward weston photography photographer Edward Henry Weston (March 24, – January 1, ) was an American photographer. He has been called "one of the most innovative and influential American photographers" and "one .
Glynis barber age Glynis Barber is a South African actress born on 25th October She is known for her roles in Dempsey and Make Peace, East Enders, Emmerdale, and other TV series and .
Ari y miu waveya biography Dance-pop and hip hop all-female dance cover group which was comprised of only Ari and MiU at the time of going on hiatus in The group created their YouTube channel in , and Missing: biography.
Theodor schwann born and died The German biologist Theodor Schwann () is considered a founder of the cell theory. He also discovered pepsin, the first digestive enzyme prepared from animal .
Reinhold wurth biography for kids Reinhold Würth stepped down as CEO in but has since served as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Würth Group’s family trusts. Karl and Beate are the children of .
Dr zakir hussain biography in urdu DR. ZAKIR HUSSAIN was born at Hyderabad on February 8, , he came of a Pathan family of the upper middle-class, settled at Qaunganj in the District of Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh. His .
Stanley yelnats holes review questions Stanley's no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather is to blame. Who put a curse on the Yelnats family? A one-legged gypsy named Madame Zeroni put a curse on the family.