James Montgomery Flagg

James Montgomery Flagg, 1915, photographed by Arnold Genthe

The grave of James Montgomery Flagg in Woodlawn Cemetery

James Montgomery Flagg (June 18, 1877 – May 27, 1960) was an American artist and illustrator. He worked in media ranging from fine art painting to cartooning, but is best remembered for his posters.

Flagg was born in Pelham Manor, New York. He was enthusiastic about drawing from a young age, and had illustrations accepted by national magazines by the age of twelve years. By fourteen he was a contributing artist for Life magazine, and the following year was on the staff of another magazine, Judge. From 1894 through 1898, he attended the Art Students League of New York. He studied fine art in London and Paris from 1898–1900, after which he returned to the United States, where he produced countless illustrations for books, magazine covers, political and humorous cartoons, advertising, and spot drawings. Among his creations was a comic strip that appeared regularly in Judge from 1903 until 1907, about a tramp character titled Nervy Nat.^[1]

His most famous poster was created in 1917 to encourage recruitment in the United States Army during World War I. It showed Uncle Sam pointing at the viewer (inspired by a British recruitment poster showing Lord Kitchener in a similar pose) with the caption "I Want YOU for U.S. Army". Over four million copies of the poster were printed during World War I, and it was revived for World War II. Flagg used his own face for that of Uncle Sam (adding age and the white goatee), he said later, simply to avoid the trouble of arranging for a model.

At his peak, Flagg was reported to have been the highest paid magazine illustrator in America.^[2] In 1946 Flagg published his autobiography, Roses and Buckshot.

James Montgomery Flagg died in New York City and was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Work

The Smart Set (Magazine cover) 1911	Flagg's famous Uncle Sam recruitment poster	Columbia urges planting Victory Gardens	The Navy Needs You! Don't Read American History, Make It!
Wake Up America, Civilization Calls Every Man Woman and Child!	Together We Win (WWI)	Uncle Sam with empty Treasury.

Notes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: James Montgomery Flagg

• James Montgomery Flagg posters, hosted by the University of North Texas Libraries Digital Collections
• James Montgomery Flagg's 1917 "I Want You" Poster and other works (Internet Archive copy from 2004 October 28)
• James Montgomery Flagg on Budd Plant's Illustrated Books site
• James Montgomery Flagg artwork can be viewed at American Art Archives web site