Orient Cycles
Technique: Giclée quality print
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More about this artwork
This striking painting by Edward Penfield, titled "Orient Cycles," is an advertisement poster promoting bicycles manufactured by Waltham Manufacturing Company. The poster effectively uses bold lettering and stylized figures to capture attention and convey its message.At the forefront of the painting, a cyclist dressed in a vibrant orange sleeveless shirt and dark shorts is prominently featured. This cyclist, with a serene expression and light-colored hair, appears to be confidently riding towards the viewer, emphasizing a sense of motion and freedom associated with bicycling.Behind this central figure, three other cyclists are depicted in a more muted color palette of browns and grays. These cyclists are positioned in a way that suggests they are trailing the lead cyclist, reinforcing the theme suggested by the slogan "Lead the Leaders," which is stylishly integrated around the cyclists' figures in a blend of white and orange colors.The use of color and composition in this poster not only highlights the primary message promoting Orient Cycles as leaders in the industry but also exemplifies the art style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by simple yet powerful visual elements designed for effective advertising.
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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.