College Crews
Technique: Giclée quality print
Recommended by our customers
More about this artwork
The painting "College Crews" by Edward Penfield features a stylized representation of collegiate rowing athletes. It artfully depicts eleven rowers, each holding an oar and dressed in the traditional athletic attire of tank tops and shorts. The rowers are aligned in three rows, each representing different universities, as indicated by the initial on their singlets and the colors of their oars.Each rower's uniform is adorned with a single letter representing their college—such as 'H', 'C', 'W'—and wearing colors that are presumably those of their respective schools. The background is a simple, muted beige, which focuses attention on the figures and their vibrant equipment.Penfield's style in this illustration is characterized by clean lines and a somewhat minimalistic approach, conveying the physical strength and disciplined posture of the rowers. The image captures a sense of both individual pride and collective identity among athletes, reflecting both the competitive and communal aspects of collegiate sports.The use of bold, flat colors combined with the clear definition of each figure's muscular structure exemplifies Penfield’s skill in graphic design, bringing together art and athleticism in a visually harmonious display.
Delivery
Returns
Edward Penfield (1866-1925) was an influential American poster artist, considered as the father of the American poster movement. He was employed as an art editor for Harper’s Weekly, Monthly, and Harper’s Bazaar, where he made posters advertising each issue of the magazine for over seven years. His art was avant-garde with less concern for the dramatic curving lines of Art Nouveau, inspired by Japanese ukiyo-e block prints, figure drawings by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, color lithographies by Jules Chéret, and other contemporary artists. He created simplified scenes of daily life in saturated colors, including horses, cats, sports, and women’s fashion.