You always look so cool: J. C. Leyendecker’s influence on Richard Amsel

J. C. Leyendecker’s influence on Richard Amsel

Richard Amsel was known to be influenced by J. C. Leyendecker (1874-1951), a major artist and illustrator known for 322 illustrations in the Saturday Evening Post, along with some of the most successful advertising campaigns of the time.

In the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, The Great Gatsby (1925), Daisy Buchanan says to Gatsby, "You always look so cool. You resemble the advertisement of the man . . . you know, the advertisement of the man", which is understood to be a reference to the Arrow Collar Man. Critics often cite how Leyendecker successfully created an aspirational image of masculinity, but one that wasn’t so out of reach of the normal man specifically with his Arrow Collar Man advertisement campaigns. 

Reference: https://americanillustration.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Art-Summary_Under-Cover_6.7.2023em.pdf

Reference: https://www.artchive.com/artwork/advertisement-for-the-arrow-collar-man-j-c-leyendecker-1912/ J. C. Leyendecker for the Arrow Collar Man 1912

Richard’s poster for “The Sting” paid homage to J.C.Leyendecker. The call outs to Leyendecker were blatant. The heavy parallel lines running through the top of the poster reference The Saturday Evening Post as does the circle in the foreground surrounding Robert Redford and Paul Newman like Leyendecker created with “Football Hero," Saturday Evening Post Cover, November 4, 1933. 

The confidence was casual but the poses were caught in the midst of a conversation, the characters taking off a glove, reading a book or smoking. The accouterments of their life are evident and add layered interest to the illustrations. Richard Amsel would utilize these same devices in “The Sting” (1973). Robert Redford showing his aces, Newman burning money to light his cigar; cash in his other hand.

Going deeper into the Richard Amsel collection the influence of other great artists including, Alfons Mucha, Maxfield Parrish, and Gustav Klimt, can be seen.

Originally Published April 26, 2026

Written by K. Clapper