Artistry In Motion

Posted by on Saturday, January 7, 2006 · 8 Comments 


Hip to our love of midcentury art, friends of ours gave us a cool Christmas gift: Tin Lizzie: The Story of the Fabulous Model T Ford by Philip Van Doren Stern (Simon & Shuster, 1955). While the book itself is a pretty straightforward, whimsical look back at the Model T Ford phenomenon, what really stands out here are the illustrations from the great Charles Harper. Although I’ve posted about Mr. Harper’s work before, with this particular project you can see his exquisite sense of line and motion applied to the odd non-natural subject. Who knew that car parts could appear so alive? Check it out.


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Comments

8 Responses to “Artistry In Motion”
  1. Jan says:
    January 7, 2006 at 8:13 pm

    Hi Matt, I appreciate that you take the time to post cool stuff like these illustrations.

    They remind me a little of the illustrations in Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cookbook from 1961. I’m fond of this edition. It brings back lots of memories.

  2. Christopher says:
    January 8, 2006 at 8:30 am

    Jan: In 1958 Harper did illustrations for the Betty Crocker “Dinner for Two Cook Book.” Perhaps he did the cookbook you mention, as well.

  3. Jan says:
    January 8, 2006 at 12:30 pm

    Hi Christopher. I’m not sure who did the illustrations. The title page says “Decorations by Joseph Pearson.” I’m not exactly sure what that means. Could it mean Pearson set up the photo shoots or does it mean illustrations?

    I Googled him, to no avail.

  4. Shannon says:
    January 8, 2006 at 1:19 pm

    That horse illustration slays me. So beautiful. I’d put up wallpaper with that on it!

  5. David Larson says:
    January 11, 2006 at 5:13 am

    Charlie Hooper has done illustrations for 1950-60′s Ford Times (the Ford-owners own magazine?) too.

  6. Christopher says:
    January 11, 2006 at 3:00 pm

    David: We (Matt and I) are also proud owners of a handful of the Ford Times magazines with CH illustrations inside or on the cover. Those, along with the three signed silk screens in our living room.

  7. David Larson says:
    March 7, 2006 at 7:39 am

    yeah, sorry bout that comment. I always get his name mixed up! (don’t know where I get the ‘Hooper’ from?) Dad (has always been more of a GM-man, although, now he drives a Mazda, which are owned by Ford…) saved some clippings that I’ve uploaded to flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/86847347@N00/sets/72057594076865625/
    More info on the house-illustrator will come later, when I get back home next time & find the originals

  8. David Larson says:
    March 7, 2006 at 11:15 am

    it’s the online-comic http://www.elsiehooper.com/ I always mix up with Charlie Harper