"The Roaring Crowd, Baseball Magazine Cover" Lot no. 743
By Joseph Francis Kernan (American- 1878-1958)
1917
34.00" x 24.00", Framed 43.00" x 33.00"
Oil on Canvas
Signed Lower Right
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Original cover for Baseball Magazine cover, July 1917
Kernan’s July 1917 cover for Baseball Magazine turns attention away from the players and toward the crowd as he captures the individuality of each figure and brings his characteristic touch of humor to the scene. He cleverly shows the viewer that just as much action happens in the stands as on the field, and the joy of the game often comes from experiencing it in the crowd. We’ve certainly all been seated next to that rambunctious fan who is a little too loud while bumping into us in the heat of their excitement. However, that is also part of the experience. The men may sport the collared shirts, ties, and caps of a bygone era, but their passion for the game is timeless and immensely relatable.
Baseball Magazine was founded in December 1907 by Boston sportswriter Jacob Morse. As the first monthly American magazine devoted entirely to baseball, the publication had the time and space to run lengthier, more in-depth feature-length articles compared to weekly publications such as Sporting Life and The Sporting News. Morse’s vision of a deluxe publication filled with eye-catching illustrations and engaging quality content brought the magazine early commercial success.
Joseph Francis Kernan was the perfect illustrator to capture the spirit of the game, and therefore the attention of Baseball Magazine readers. Kernan played baseball throughout high school, and reportedly played professionally in order to finance his art education and early career in commercial art.
Explore related art collections: Baseball / Sports / Magazine Covers / Men / Seniors / Action / 1910s / Humor / $50,000-$100,000
See all original artwork by Joseph Francis Kernan
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Joseph Francis Kernan was a sportsman all of his life and the majority of his subjects featured, as he described it, "the human side of outdoor sports, hunting, fishing and dogs." These were the ideal subjects for magazine covers and his work appeared on all of the major - and some minor- magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, Liberty, The Country Gentlemen, Capper's Farmer, The Elks, Outdoor Life, and The Associated Sunday Magazines. His work was also commissioned for calendars, and advertisers such as Fisk Tires, International Harvester and Pratt & Lambert.
Kernan was born in Brookline Massachusetts and studied at the Eric Pape School of Art in Boston. This was financed by playing professional baseball. He also taught for two years at the Pape School before launching his art career.
A major collection of some 450 Kernan's Illustration's spanning a career of over 40 years is held in the collection of the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta Canada.