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 - 3 also.
This is part 4 of a 5-part series on the works of James Montgomery Flagg:
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| c1930 The Protective Instinct “Down I went and down accompanied me Miss Lura de Lure, to her great mortification.” Liberty magazine pen & ink on illustration board |
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| 1930 Liberty magazine illustration “Does He Get the Girl?” pencil & watercolour |
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| 1931 Uncle Sam pen & ink on paper 40.6 x 33 cm |
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| 1931 The Million Dollar Hairpin, Good Housekeeping magazine watercolour 53.9 x 66.6 cm |
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| 1931 Story illustration for “Collier’s,” April 25, 1931 ink on paper |
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| 1931 "A Six-Letter Word Meaning Trouble" Story Illustration, Good Housekeeping magazine ink on board 74.3 x 58.4 cm |
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| 1932 It’s Time to Build a Stronger America oil on canvas 92 x 76.2 cm |
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| 1933 "What You Lack, Mister, is Guts!" Illustration for the story "Lovelorn" in Liberty Magazine September 16 issue watercolour, ink and wash on paper 58.4 x 73.7 cm |
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| 1933 "The old Standards that had to do with money and success are gone..." |
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| 1933 Eight Women, double page spread ink |
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| Eight Women detail |
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| Eight Women detail |
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| 1933 Caption not found (double page Spread) |
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| Double page Spread detail |
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| Double page Spread detail |
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| 1933 September Girls double page spread |
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| Double page spread detail |
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| Double page spread detail |
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| 1934 Help Wanted (using the same illustration as above) |
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| c1935-43 Your Forests-Your Fault-Your Loss oil on canvas 164.9 x 101.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC |
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| 1937 Lost Horizon colour lithograph movie poster |
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| 1937 Lost Horizon colour lithograph movie poster |
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| 1937 Parents should know about this ink drawing |
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| c1940 Wimbledon Champion pencil & watercolour on board 65 x 40.5 cm |
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| c1940 The Man Who Cares Drinks Carstairs. (Portrait study from the Carstairs campaign) charcoal & wash on tinted paper 42 x 35 cm |
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| c1940-45 All Gone! colour lithograph poster 52 x 36.5 cm |
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| after 1941 Help China! China is Helping Us colour lithograph 56 x 35 cm |
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| 1942 Your Red Cross Needs You! colour lithograph poster 49.5 x 31 cm |
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| 1942 Want Action? Join U.S. Marine Corps! colour lithograph poster 94 x 63 cm |
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| 1942 "The Marines Have Landed-!" colour lithograph poster 101 x 77.5 cm |
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| 1943 Unconditional Surrender Of All Tyrants pen and ink on paper 71.1 x 55.8 cm |
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| 1943 Man reading watercolour & gouache on paper 27.9 x 21.6 cm |
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| 1944 I Want You F.D.R. Stay and Finsh the Job! colour lithograph poster |
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| 1945 Jap...You're Next! We'll Finish the Job! Recruiting Publicity Bureau, U.S. Army. colour lithograph poster 49.5 x 35.5 cm |
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| 1945 Coming Right Up! Recruiting Publicity Bureau, U.S. Army colour lithograph poster |
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| c1945 WW2 cartoon rough Portrait of 2 American Dim-Wits. ink & watercolour 28 x 21.2 cm |
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| c1945 WW2 cartoon rough The Womb of Bellona ink & watercolour 21.2 x 28 cm |
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| c1945 WW2 cartoon rough "Yoo Hoo - your ship is showing!" ink & watercolour 21.2 x 28 cm |
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| c1945 WW2 cartoon rough "This Wat to the War" ink & watercolour 21.2 x 28 cm |
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| c1945 WW2 cartoon rough ink & watercolour 28 x 21.2 cm |
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| c1945 "Carry me back to ol' Virginny" watercolour & ink 21.6 x 27.9 cm |
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| c1945 Come & get it! watercolour & ink 21.6 x 27.9 cm |
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| c1945 Gentlemen, pull yourselves together!... watercolour & ink 21.6 x 27.9 cm |
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| 1945c Will you f'gawdsake come back here-... watercolour & ink 21.6 x 27.9 cm |
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| 1949 American Weekly, Cooking Around America "The South - Fried Chicken And Buttermilk Biscuits" colour lithograph |
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| 1949 American Weekly, Cooking Around America "Southern California - Fiesta Foods" colour lithograph |
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| 1949 American Weekly, Cooking Around America "San Francisco - Treasure Island Salad" colour lithograph |
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| 1949 American Weekly, Cooking Around America "The Northwest - Fried Trout and French Toast" colour lithograph |
