J. C. Leyendecker’s magazine illustrations employed brutally direct painting techniques to create stark tonal differences in his character’s clothes, faces, and hair to draw attention to the objects that he was trying to sell. But beyond the starkness of his paintings is the starkness of his message. This advertisement for Arrow Collars, which was recently in the National Portrait Gallery’s “Hide and Seek” exhibit, uses the subtleties of its composition to create sexual tension between the two characters. The hand on the hip, the way the book is held, the position against the desk, and the glare of the man on the left are all eerily homoerotic. As is the feigned interest and crossed leg of the man on the right, a cameo of Leyendecker’s partner Charles. The stance of the two men, in conjunction with their careful separation and the severity of the background, creates a tragically romantic image.
