Cynthia Lee Patterson
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781604737363
- eISBN:
- 9781621031185
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781604737363.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
How did the average American learn about art in the mid-nineteenth century? With public art museums still in their infancy, and few cities and towns large enough to support art galleries or print ...
More
How did the average American learn about art in the mid-nineteenth century? With public art museums still in their infancy, and few cities and towns large enough to support art galleries or print shops, Americans relied on mass-circulated illustrated magazines. One group of magazines in particular, known collectively as the Philadelphia pictorials, circulated fine art engravings of paintings, some produced exclusively for circulation in these monthlies, to an eager middle-class reading audience. These magazines achieved print circulations far exceeding those of other print media (such as illustrated gift books, or catalogs from art-union membership organizations). Godey’s, Graham’s, Peterson’s, Miss Leslie’s, and Sartain’s Union Magazine included two to three fine art engravings monthly, “tipped in” to the fronts of the magazines, and designed for pull-out and display. Featuring the work of a fledgling group of American artists who chose American rather than European themes for their paintings, these magazines were crucial to the distribution of American art beyond the purview of the East Coast elite to a widespread middle-class audience. Contributions to these magazines enabled many an American artist and engraver to earn, for the first time in the young nation’s history, a modest living through art. This book examines the economics of artistic production, innovative engraving techniques, regional imitators, the textual “illustrations” accompanying engravings, and the principal artists and engravers contributing to these magazines.Less
How did the average American learn about art in the mid-nineteenth century? With public art museums still in their infancy, and few cities and towns large enough to support art galleries or print shops, Americans relied on mass-circulated illustrated magazines. One group of magazines in particular, known collectively as the Philadelphia pictorials, circulated fine art engravings of paintings, some produced exclusively for circulation in these monthlies, to an eager middle-class reading audience. These magazines achieved print circulations far exceeding those of other print media (such as illustrated gift books, or catalogs from art-union membership organizations). Godey’s, Graham’s, Peterson’s, Miss Leslie’s, and Sartain’s Union Magazine included two to three fine art engravings monthly, “tipped in” to the fronts of the magazines, and designed for pull-out and display. Featuring the work of a fledgling group of American artists who chose American rather than European themes for their paintings, these magazines were crucial to the distribution of American art beyond the purview of the East Coast elite to a widespread middle-class audience. Contributions to these magazines enabled many an American artist and engraver to earn, for the first time in the young nation’s history, a modest living through art. This book examines the economics of artistic production, innovative engraving techniques, regional imitators, the textual “illustrations” accompanying engravings, and the principal artists and engravers contributing to these magazines.
Cynthia Lee Patterson
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781604737363
- eISBN:
- 9781621031185
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781604737363.003.0006
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter explores promotional strategies and editorial matter used in Godey’s Lady’s Book, Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine, Peterson’s Magazine, and Sartain’s Union Magazine. These show ...
More
This chapter explores promotional strategies and editorial matter used in Godey’s Lady’s Book, Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine, Peterson’s Magazine, and Sartain’s Union Magazine. These show differences on how these publications addressed their respective audiences. Godey’s artworks consisted mainly of images of women and children, to target its audience which consisted mainly of mothers. Both Graham’s and Peterson’s used numerous images of idealized beauty, as they both assumed that the majority of their readers were unmarried males. Sartain’s used titillating images of Indian maidens aimed to arouse a majority male readership.Less
This chapter explores promotional strategies and editorial matter used in Godey’s Lady’s Book, Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine, Peterson’s Magazine, and Sartain’s Union Magazine. These show differences on how these publications addressed their respective audiences. Godey’s artworks consisted mainly of images of women and children, to target its audience which consisted mainly of mothers. Both Graham’s and Peterson’s used numerous images of idealized beauty, as they both assumed that the majority of their readers were unmarried males. Sartain’s used titillating images of Indian maidens aimed to arouse a majority male readership.
Cynthia Lee Patterson
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781604737363
- eISBN:
- 9781621031185
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781604737363.003.0007
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter examines competition between the magazines Godey’s Lady’s Book, Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine, Peterson’s Magazine, and Sartain’s Union Magazine, in securing engravers. Both ...
More
This chapter examines competition between the magazines Godey’s Lady’s Book, Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine, Peterson’s Magazine, and Sartain’s Union Magazine, in securing engravers. Both magazines Godey’s and Graham’s vied for the services of a well-known line engraver William E. Tucker. This ended with victory for Godey’s magazine. Peterson’s stayed away from conflict and relied heavily in its resident engraver, Jacob D. Gross, a pupil of the mezzotint engraving pioneer John Sartain. The chapter notes that Sartain’s competed heavily against Godey’s in securing engravers, with the former using John Sartain’s connections with his fellow engravers and the latter using its vast funds to attract talent.Less
This chapter examines competition between the magazines Godey’s Lady’s Book, Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine, Peterson’s Magazine, and Sartain’s Union Magazine, in securing engravers. Both magazines Godey’s and Graham’s vied for the services of a well-known line engraver William E. Tucker. This ended with victory for Godey’s magazine. Peterson’s stayed away from conflict and relied heavily in its resident engraver, Jacob D. Gross, a pupil of the mezzotint engraving pioneer John Sartain. The chapter notes that Sartain’s competed heavily against Godey’s in securing engravers, with the former using John Sartain’s connections with his fellow engravers and the latter using its vast funds to attract talent.
Cynthia Lee Patterson
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781604737363
- eISBN:
- 9781621031185
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781604737363.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses the rise of lithographic art print companies such as Goupil, Vibert and Co. and Currier and Ives in the 1850s, which eclipsed the prominence of illustrated magazines in ...
More
This chapter discusses the rise of lithographic art print companies such as Goupil, Vibert and Co. and Currier and Ives in the 1850s, which eclipsed the prominence of illustrated magazines in Philadelphia. Lithographic prints were cheaper and easier to produce, and with the artists working for both Goupil, Vibert and Co. and Currier and Ives, the American public started to shift their focus toward art prints. Both Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine and Sartain’s Union Magazine ended in the 1850s. Godey’s Lady’s Book and Peterson’s Magazine continued to thrive, as they continued to publish high quality literature and they kept a loyal readership.Less
This chapter discusses the rise of lithographic art print companies such as Goupil, Vibert and Co. and Currier and Ives in the 1850s, which eclipsed the prominence of illustrated magazines in Philadelphia. Lithographic prints were cheaper and easier to produce, and with the artists working for both Goupil, Vibert and Co. and Currier and Ives, the American public started to shift their focus toward art prints. Both Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine and Sartain’s Union Magazine ended in the 1850s. Godey’s Lady’s Book and Peterson’s Magazine continued to thrive, as they continued to publish high quality literature and they kept a loyal readership.
