Monday, March 05, 2012

Jack Davis: "Commercial Folk Artist"

After last week's look at the work of Lynd Ward, my good pal Bill Peckmann sent a note:

"It would be fun to do a book or list of artists with Lynd Ward's sensitivities and sympathies. Like we talked about, Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood, Al Dorne, Norman Rockwell, Bill Peet, Jack Davis, John Severin - I'm sure there's a host of SEP guys I'm not even thinking of - they all just had a reality about their work with people and places, they made you feel like you were looking at the "real deal", I just love 'em all!"

To illustrate his point, Bill inundated me with scans of gorgeous 1960s artwork by the one and only, Jack Davis.

Davis75

Some pages from this book were reproduced not long ago in a spectacular new Jack Davis collection from Fantagraphics, but not the double page spreads which Bill sent.

Davis74.detail01

Bill wrote, "I don't know what it is, but I find these DP's more intriguing than the single page illo's that Fantagraphics ran. It also seems like Jack had more fun with these, the DP's might not have had all of the editorial dictates that the one pagers had."

Davis74

"IMHO," Bill declared, "Mr.Davis might be THE BEST commercial folk artist of all time!"

Davis73

With that, here's the rest of the scans from Bill - for your consideration and, I have no doubt, viewing pleasure.

Davis72.detail01

Davis72

Davis71.detail01

Davis71

Davis70.detail01

Davis70

Davis69.detail01

Davis69

Davis68

Davis67

Davis66.detail01

Davis66

Davis65.detail01

Davis65

Davis64.detail01

Davis64

Many thanks to Bill Peckmann for starting this week off with a bang! Fellow fans (and those just discovering the master's work) be sure to look for Fantagraphics soon-to-be reprinted collection, Jack Davis: Drawing American Pop Culture - A Career Retrospective

8 comments:

  1. Masterful stuff. Thanks for posting all of the great Davis images.

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  2. It a pleasure, Rob - thanks for your comment :^)

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  3. It simply doesn't get any better than Jack Davis's stuff. And the AMOUNT of great work he churned out - and continues to produce - is absolutely mind boggling!

    As always, thanks, Leif!

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  4. Jack is amazing! I was fortunate to represent him back at Gerald & Cullen Rapp

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  5. Master Cartoonist!

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  6. Anonymous11:53 PM

    Thanks for sharing this. I've got a similar book Davis did on Teddy Roosevelt.

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  7. Great stuff. I was happy to see so much of this make it into that recent retrospective. For my money, it truly doesn't get any better than Davis.

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  8. I have recently received 2 Jack Davis prints of GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE and MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE PICKETT. I am not sure when they were made but I would love more info about them and have no idea where to begin. I have searched the internet and have found Jack Davis Civil War prints but not like the ones I have. Any suggestions? I thought about writing to Mr. Davis directly but I have no idea how to get in touch with him. I got them for my son who does Civil War re-enacting.

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