c1920 Edward McKnight Kauffer by Maud B. Davis
gelatin silver print
Cooper Hewitt Museum, New York
Edward McKnight Kauffer was one of the most gifted and internationally admired poster artists of the period 1920-50. An American by birth, he studied painting in Paris before the First World War, settled in London in 1914 and dominated the poster hoardings of England between the wars. Kauffer brought a new distinction to advertising design, insisting that the highest visual values should be enlisted in this field. His flair and integrity as a designer, and the brilliance of his personality, won him an international reputation. Beginning his career as a painter, he was initially influenced by Van Gogh and the French Post-Impressionists. For a period before the First World War he was close to the Camden Town artists, particularly Harold Gilman and Charles Ginner and he adopted their technique of using heavy impasto. In 1919 he became associated with Wyndham Lewis and Group X and in his first wood-engravings he showed his interest in Cubism and geometrical design. As a designer, Kauffer's work was seen by an audience of millions and his name became synonymous with posters of radical innovation, superb colour schemes and formidable attracting power. His many clients included Roger Fry, T. S. Eliot and Aldous Huxley who supported his attempt to make advertising 'worthy of the civilisation that needs needs it'.
This is part I of a 6-part series on the works of E. McKnight Kauffer:
 |
| designed 1915, issued 1916 Godstone colour lithograph poster 76 x 50.7 cm |
 |
| 1915 In Watford colour lithograph poster for the Underground Electric Railways Co. of London 74.3 x 50.3 cm MoMA, New York |
 |
| 1915 Oxhey Woods colour lithograph poster for Underground Electric Railways Company of London Ltd. 75.2 x 50.4 cm MoMA, New York |
 |
| 1915 Route 59B, Reigate colour lithograph poster 75.6 x 50.2 cm MoMA, New York |
%20colour%20lithograph%20poster%2075%20x%2050.3%20cm.jpg) |
| 1915 The Heaths. No.178. Surrey colour lithograph poster for Underground Electric Railway Company of London 75 x 50.3 cm |
 |
| 1915 Wood Interior oil on canvas 41 x 35.5 cm Government Art Collection, UK |
 |
| 1916 Godstone colour lithograph poster for London Transport 76 x 50.7 cm |
 |
| 1916 The North Downs colour lithograph poster for Underground Electric Railways Co., London 75.5 x 50.8 cm |
%20linocut%2010.4%20x%2012.8%20cm.jpg) |
| 1916 Untitled composition (A view of a roof-tops and chimney-pots) linocut 10.4 x 12.8 cm |
 |
| 1917 Derry & Toms Kemsington W. -Economy and Smartness in Men's Wear colour lithograph poster 149.2 x 101.6 cm MoMA, New York |
 |
| 1917 Sunflowers oil on canvas 90 x 71 cm Government Art Collection, UK |
%20lithograph%2076.8%20x%2050.2%20cm%20MoMA,%20New%20York.jpg) |
| 1917 The London Group Poster for an exhibition at the Mansard Gallery lithograph 76.8 x 50.2 cm MoMA, New York |
%20MoMA,%20New%20York.jpg) |
| 1917-22 Sunflowers woodcut 22.8 x 17.8 cm (image) MoMA, New York |
 |
| 1918 El Flamenco brand label colour process engraving |
 |
| 1918 Harrier Hawk gouache original 29.5 x 19.4 cm © Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| 1918 The London Group lithograph poster in black ink 75.6 x 51.5 cm |
 |
| 1918-19 Soaring to Success! - Daily Herald - the Early Bird. colour lithograph poster 297.7 x 152.2 cm |
 |
| 1919-1921 Winter Sales are best reached by Underground colour lithograph poster for London Transport 101.6 x 63.5 cm |
 |
| 1919 Now Proceeding Summer Sale at Derry & Toms Kensington W.8 colour lithograph 149.9 x 97.2 cm MoMA, New York |
 |
| 1919 Vigil The Pure Silk colour lithograph poster 91.4 x 60.6 cm |
 |
| 1919 Winter Sale & Derry & Toms Kensington W.8 colour lithograph poster 149.2 x 96.5 cm MoMA, New York |
 |
| 1920 Aster Time Kew Gardens colour lithograph poster for London Transport |
 |
| 1920 Blue Bells, Kew Gardens colour lithograph poster for London Transport |
 |
| 1920 Chingford by Motor Bus Route No - colour lithograph poster 75.5 x 49.8 cm |
 |
| 1920 Epping Forest by Motor Bus Route No - colour lithograph poster 74.7 x 49.6 cm |
 |
| 1920 Flowers of the Hills on the Surrey Uplands colour lithograph poster for Underground Electric Railways Company of London 53.3 x 50.3 cm |
 |
| 1920 Flowers of the Riverside by Thames and Mole and Wey and Lea colour lithograph poster |
 |
| 1920 Hainault Forest by Motor Bus Route No.- colour lithograph poster for the London General Omnibus Company 76.2 x 50.8 cm |
 |
| 1920 Hatfield by Motor Bus Route No - colour lithograph poster for the London General Omnibus Company 76.4 x 50.6 cm |
 |
| 1920 Reigate Priory Park By Motor Bus colour lithograph poster for the London General Omnibus Company 76.2 x 50.8 cm |
 |
| 1920 Self Portrait pen and ink 22.4 x 19.8 cm ©Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
 |
| 1920 St. Albans by Motor Bus colour lithograph poster for the London General Omnibus Company 75.8 x 51 cm |
 |
| 1920 The Forest Glades of Epping colour lithograph poster for London Transport |
 |
| 1920 Windsor By Motor Bus Route No - colour lithograph poster for the London General Omnibus Company 75.8 x 50.4 cm |
 |
| c1920 Rompe Espina brand label colour process engraving |
 |
| 1920s The North Downs colour lithograph poster for London Transport |
%20oil%20on%20canvas%2045.7%20x%2076.2%20cm%20Philadelphia%20Museum%20of%20Art,%20Philadelphia,%20PA.jpg)