"Vanity Fair Painting" Lot no. 4711
By Francis Xavier Leyendecker (American, 1877-1924)
1915
7.75" x 5"
mixed media painting on paper
Artist signature to bottom with hand written note TO MY FRIEND MRS LEHMANN
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Produced as an illustration used for the cover of the December 1915 issue of Vanity Fair magazine.
A figural work depicting male and female figures, the recumbent female on a divan couch with mischievous smile, holding teacup, and accepting tea service from a smiling young male Blackamoor figure costumed in Orientalist and Baroque period finery.
Presented under glass with a salmon mat border in a museum quality frame with scrolling, ribbon, and floral forms to top.
See all original artwork by Francis Xavier Leyendecker
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Born in Germany, Francis Xavier Leyendecker was very competent, but was always overshadowed by his older brother. Francis's work was more sensitive, and highly detailed, but it never matched the assurance and dramatic poster quality of Joseph's. Francis also painted covers for leading publications such as The Saturday Evening Post, Vogue, and notably, Collier's. He later designed stained-glass windows.
The two brothers never married. They worked together in a large studio estate in New Rochelle. The fascinating story of their personal lives is related in Norman Rockwell's book My Adventures of an Illustrator.