Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890-1954) was an American-born designer and painter who made England his home from 1914-1940. Perhaps the most important poster and graphic designer of the 20th Century, Kauffer was dubbed “The Poster King” by Vorticist artist Percy Wyndham Lewis. Whilst in England, Kauffer enjoyed a successful career creating drawings, paintings, newspaper advertisements and posters, book covers and illustrations, as well as theatrical sets and costumes.
The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art has organised an exhibition of over fifty pieces of graphic design and illustration by Kauffer, focusing mainly on the period between 1914 and 1940. To accompany the installation, the Estorick Collection has published a fully illustrated catalogue entitled The Poster King E. McKnight Kauffer.
The Poster King – Layout of the Publication
The publication includes an Introduction by Roberta Cremoncini; The Poster King, an essay by Alexandra Harris, art historian; as well as two extracts from the December 1923 edition of the magazine: Commercial Art. The book concludes with a detailed chronology of Edward McKnight Kauffer's life.
Roberta Cremoncini, Director of the Estorick Collection
In her opening words Roberta Cremoncini raises several interesting points. She describes Kauffer as a paradox: although his works are well-known, his name is not widely known amongst the general public.
Cremoncini cites Kauffer's associated with Vorticism, England's aggressive reaction to F. T. Marinetti's Futurist movement, as the reason for the Estorick's organising this exhibition.
The Director also discusses Kauffer's ability to cross the boundaries between high art and advertising. Like the Italian Futurists, he believed the two genres could, and should, be mixed, and that art should be taken out of art galleries, and made more accessible.
The Poster King by Alexandra Harris
In her essay The Poster King Alexandra Harris outlines Kauffer's career and looks in detail at some of his most successful posters. While his subject matter is clear, and needs no explanation, Harris says there is still plenty more to be said about the nature of posters, asking the question, “what happens when commercial art is taken out of context and hung in a gallery? (The Poster King, p. 7).
Extracts from Commercial Art
In December 1923, the magazine Commercial Art included two articles about Edward McNight Kauffer. One reported on an argument between Kauffer and Mr Bernard Smith, Advertising Manager of Pears' Soap, during a debate at the Art Workers' Guild in London. The other, by author and art critic, Adolphe Arnold Braun, explored Kauffer's rapid rise to fame. The two articles are reproduced in The Poster King.
The Poster King – A Final Word
The Poster King is written in scholarly, yet easily understood, language. The 56-page publication (ISBN: 978-0-9567868-1-4), features more than 50 colour illustrations. Available from the Estorick Collection, and priced at £9.95, the book represents excellent value for money, both as a history source book, and as a record of the exhibition.
The Poster King: Edward McKnight Kauffer is on view at the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art until 18th December 2011.
Related Articles
- Estorick Collection Presents Posters by Edward McKnight Kauffer discusses the exhibition in greater detail.
- F. T. Marinetti's Futurist Manifesto is discussed in a separate article: Futurist Manifesto – Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.
Sources:
- Cremoncini, R., The Poster King: E. McKnight Kauffer, Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, 2011
- The Estorick Collection of Modern Art
Frances Spiegel - Frances Spiegel, B.A. Hons. (Open)., Dip.Eur.Hum., read Art History/European Modern History at the Open University.
