Born in Pelham Manor, New York, James Montgomery Flagg attended several art schools, including four years spent at the Art Students League in New York City. He worked prolifically in a number of media but is best remembered for his poster designs.
By the turn of the century, Flagg had created a reputation as a graphic designer and illustrator. When the United States entered World War I, he produced his I Want You for U.S. Army poster, which quickly became a household icon and one of the most enduring images of the twentieth century. Although Flagg took the design from an earlier British work, he adapted it in a manner that immediately captured the American imagination.
Flagg is also well known for his many pen-and-ink drawings. Fascinated by the vivacity of the 1920s, he sought to capture the spirit of a prosperous nation in a number of intelligent and witty works from that period. During his career, Flagg also executed numerous portraits in oil, ranging from sensitive likenesses of family members to grand renderings of statesmen and celebrities such as Theodore Roosevelt. Smithsonian American Art Museum
For more information on Flagg see part 1, and for earlier works, see parts 1 & 2 also.
This is part 3 of a 5-part series on the works of James Montgomery Flagg:
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| 1917 Wake up America Day, April 19, 1917 colour lithograph poster |
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| 1917 Wake up America! Civilization Calls Every Man, Woman and Child! colour lithograph poster 106.7 x 71.1 cm |
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| c1917 Some Backing! The Empire State Needs Soldiers, Join The New York Guard colour lithograph poster 100.25 x 67.25 cm |
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| c1917-18 I Am Telling You, WW1 Enlistment poster colour lithograph 76.2 x 51 cm |
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| c1917-18 Beware of the Wrath of a Patient Man! colour lithograph poster 76.2 x 51.1 cm |
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| 1917-18 Together We Win colour lithograph poster 96.7 x 73.6 cm |
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| 1917-18 Boys and Girls! colour lithograph poster 76.2 x 50.8 cm |
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| 1918 Leslie's Illustrated Weekly Newspaper 5 January 1918 issue |
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| 1918 Help him to help U.S.! Help the horse to save the soldier colour lithograph poster |
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| 1918 "The Stenog" with Camilla Carrol colour lithograph poster |
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| 1918 "The Artist's Model" with Mary Arthur colour lithograph poster |
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| 1918 Leslie's Illustrated Weekly Newspaper 25 May 1918 issue |
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| 1918 Side by Side - Britannia! colour lithograph poster 76.2 x 50.9 cm |
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| 1918 Our Regular Divisions colour lithograph poster |
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| 1918 Stage Women's War Relief colour lithograph poster 77.3 x 54 cm |
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| 1918 Will you have a part in Victory? colour lithograph poster 83.8 x 55.8 cm |
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| 1918 Vive La France! colour lithograph poster. 101 x 71 cm |
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| 1918 Tell that to the Marines colour lithograph 100.6 x 75.5 cm |
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| c1918 Join the Marines! colour lithograph poster 101.5 x 74.25 cm |
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| c1919 Hold on to Uncle Sam's Insurance colour lithograph poster 75 x 50 cm |
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| 1919 Saucy Stories cover May 1919 issue |
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| 1920 Judge magazine cover November 27 issue "An Amusing Yarn" |
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| 1920 Judge magazine cover design for May 8 1920 watercolour on paper 67.3 x 49.5 cm |
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| c1920s “Damn you – you did it on purpose!” watercolour on paper 55.8 x 87 cm |
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| c1920s “Why, I just took it for granted you’d drag me to your dance, that’s all – let’s forget it though.” watercolour on paper 55.8 x 86.9 cm |
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| c1921 Dinner disturbance pen & ink on board 71.7 x 54.8 cm |
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| 1921 Vanishing Point oil on canvas 60.9 x 95.2 cm |
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| 1921 The Profiteers pen & ink 50.8 x 73.7 cm |
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| 1921 Judge magazine cover 19 February issue "Four of a Kind" |
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| 1921 Judge magazine cover 22 January issue "Two Features Today" |
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| Everett Walsh, charcoal sketch (details not found) |
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| 1922 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Collier’s magazine 27 May 1922 “It was impossible for Mr. Button to ignore the fact that his son was a poor excuse for a first‐family baby.” |
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| 1922 Judge magazine cover 4 February issue Smile Week |
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| 1922 Cover illustration for The American Golfer magazine, July 15, 1922 issue pencil and watercolour on paper 34.2 x 27.3 cm |
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| The American Golfer magazine July 15, 1922 issue |
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| 1922 The Amarican Golfer magazine March 25 issue "Safe!" |
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| 1922 Bill Hart (sketch of William S. Hart) Photoplay magazine May 1922 issue |
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| 1923 Judge magazine cover, 15 September 1923 Prize-Fight Number "The Wedding Ring" |
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| c1923 Illustration for an unidentified story, likely Good Housekeeping magazine watercolour on paper mounted on board 69 x 50.5 cm |
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| 1924 Judge magazine cover July 12 1924 issue "A Short Vamp" |
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| 1924 "Very Likely!" Cover for The American Golfer magazine May 17 issue pencil watercolour and wash on paper 33.6 x 27.3 cm |
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| 1925 Life magazine Commuters' Number.12 February issue "The 8;15 - or Bust!" |
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| 1926 College Humor magazine 1 September 1926 issue "They called her Honey Child" |
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| "They called her Honey Child" |
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| "They called her Honey Child" |
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| 1926 College Humor magazine March 1926 issue |
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| 1928 New Members’ Night, Bily Rose Theatre, New York State |
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| 1928 "Follow Through" cover for The American Golfer magazine, published December 1, 1923 pencil and watercolour wash on paper 34 x 27 cm |
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| 1929 Life magazine cover "Grandmother's Clock" June 28 1919 issue |
