Art-Focused Advertising in the 1930s. Travelers Insurance ad in the “The Saturday Evening Post,” September 17, 1938.
The artwork is by Frank Cowles. He was the founder of the Cowles Art School in Boston, active from 1883 to 1900. His school was modeled after Parisian art academies and emphasized both fine art and mechanical drawing. His illustrations often carried a sense of purpose and craftsmanship, aligning well with the values promoted by companies like Travelers. Brands often commissioned top-tier illustrators to align themselves with quality and taste. The artwork wasn’t just decoration—it was a signal of the brand’s values and aspirations.
Frank Cowles isn’t as widely known today as contemporaries like Thomas Hart Benton but, like Benton’s work, Cowles artwork is rich in narrative and grounded in American realism. Benton’s sweeping landscapes and muscular figures conveyed the grit and grandeur of American life. Cowles’ illustration here shares that spirit, though more restrained. It still captures the tension between labor and longing, between the axe in hand and the dream on the horizon.
Ads from the 1930s, a time of economic hardship, leaned heavily on hope, perseverance, and personal aspiration. This ad’s story would have struck a chord with readers seeking stability and meaning. They would have lingered over the illustration, absorbing the story before even noticing the sponsor. This slow-burn approach built deeper brand associations. Rather than shouting the brand name, companies like Travelers used subtlety to build trust. The narrative and imagery did the emotional heavy lifting, while the brand quietly positioned itself as the solution—insurance for the man who plans and perseveres.
Art-Focused Advertising in the 1930s. Travelers Insurance ad in the “The Saturday Evening Post,” September 17, 1938.
The artwork is by Frank Cowles. He was the founder of the Cowles Art School in Boston, active from 1883 to 1900. His school was modeled after Parisian art academies and emphasized both fine art and mechanical drawing. His illustrations often carried a sense of purpose and craftsmanship, aligning well with the values promoted by companies like Travelers. Brands often commissioned top-tier illustrators to align themselves with quality and taste. The artwork wasn’t just decoration—it was a signal of the brand’s values and aspirations.
Frank Cowles isn’t as widely known today as contemporaries like Thomas Hart Benton but, like Benton’s work, Cowles artwork is rich in narrative and grounded in American realism. Benton’s sweeping landscapes and muscular figures conveyed the grit and grandeur of American life. Cowles’ illustration here shares that spirit, though more restrained. It still captures the tension between labor and longing, between the axe in hand and the dream on the horizon.
Ads from the 1930s, a time of economic hardship, leaned heavily on hope, perseverance, and personal aspiration. This ad’s story would have struck a chord with readers seeking stability and meaning. They would have lingered over the illustration, absorbing the story before even noticing the sponsor. This slow-burn approach built deeper brand associations. Rather than shouting the brand name, companies like Travelers used subtlety to build trust. The narrative and imagery did the emotional heavy lifting, while the brand quietly positioned itself as the solution—insurance for the man who plans and perseveres.