Spartacus, USA History, British History, Second World War, First World War, Germany,
USA Artists & Illustrators, British Cartoonists & Illustrators, Author, Search Website, Email

 

James Montgomery Flagg was born in New York in 1877. He started drawing as a child and at the age of twelve had his first drawing accepted by a national magazine. Two years later he was contributing to Life Magazine and at fifteen was on the staff of the The Judge.

Flagg studied at the Arts Students League (1894-98) in New York and when he was twenty spent a year working in London before moving on to France.

By the beginning of the 20th century Flagg was one of America's leading illustrators. In 1903 he began drawing portraits of Hollywood stars for Photoplay magazine. Other magazines that published his work included McClure's Magazine, Collier's Weekly, Ladies' Home Journal, Cosmopolitan, Saturday Evening Post and Harper's Weekly.

Flagg also illustrated a large number of books including Yankee Girls Abroad (1900), An Orchard Princess (1905), Simon the Jester (1909) and The Adventures of Kitty Cobb (1912).

During the First World War Flagg designed 46 posters for the government. This included the famous Uncle Sam poster with the caption "I Want You for the U.S. Army". An adapted version of this poster was also used during the Second World War. James Montgomery Flagg died in 1960.

 

---

 

(1) The Century Magazine (June, 1915)

The year 1890 beheld the artist J. M. Flagg about to enter the art world and his teens. In March of that year, on a Saturday afternoon, Jimmy Flagg, armed only with a few pencil sketches he had made in Central Park, overcame a boy's awe of the editorial Olympians, and presented himself in the office of St. Nicholas and asked to see one of the editors. The writer of these lines was told to receive the young caller, and after a few words set himself to examine the boy's drawings.

There was something in those easy, unstudied lines that breathed ability and capacity so great that words of praise and encouragement seemed only a duty. They were strong and sincere words, and, as Mr. Flagg said recently, sent him away "walking on air."

The editorial praise was duly reported at home, and led to another visit from the young artist, this time to ask if the editor would repeat to the boy's mother the praise already given to the boy's work. And soon afterward came the mother, to whom even more was said than could be properly put in talking to a boy of twelve -- something of what unusual promise for the future seemed to be in the sketches shown. A plea was made that the rarity of the boy's gift entitled him to give his life to art work. The plea was the stronger that it came from one who in boyhood had wished to be an artist, and who to this day regrets that the wish was never carried out.

An invitation to visit the boy's father was given, and within a few days the writer found himself invited to dine and afterward to take part in a family council. It was not a matter of combating parental opposition, but of strengthening parental faith, and changing passive willingness into an active purpose to further a wise ambition.

After that talk, Mr. Flagg's visits to the editorial office became frequent, and the young illustrator was always assured of a warm welcome and of a keen interest in his work, some of which the magazine published, though of course the drawings of that time had in them more of promise than of fulfillment.

Art teaching was sought, and the native skill was trained and developed chiefly under the wise guidance of the Art Students' League, where the artist was able to prove his ability in competition with his fellows. In the outer world also was found a demand for the forceful pencil of the capable student, and before long frequent checks proved that even from the commercial point of view an art career was to be worth while.

(2) Cathy O'Brien, James Montgomery Flagg's granddaughter, wrote in April 2001 about the background to his famous war poster.

James Montgomery Flagg first painted his famous Uncle Sam for a 4th of July 1916 issue of Leslie's magazine. He was commissioned by the magazine in 1914, and reluctantly agreed when he finally saw what he believed to be the perfect model, a young soldier on a train.

Upon our involvement in WWI, the government contacted Flagg, requesting him to adapt his infamous figure into a war poster, and the rest is history.

He did not pose for this particular poster, but by the time WWII broke out, he was beginning to resemble his painting more and more. Flagg posed for many of his WWII posters, saving the cost of "model hire".

 

Available from Amazon Books (order below)