In the Shade of the Baobab

As soon as I have found these great scans from the 1965 German book "Im Schatten de Baobab" 

on the very interesting Russian livejournal thread kidpix they have become an instant favorite. 

I love the illustrations by Eberhart Binder! I have to admit that possibly I like his trees 

even more than the animals... Many thanks to u_boot_man for uploading these beauties.

Mad Men & Crazy Critters, 8th episode: Signs of the Times

Sergio Ruffolo, 1961

I am so happy that Mad Men is back with its fourth series...

I soooo loved Roger Sterling's new office and its gorgeous Op painting!

I am going to celebrate the event the Animalarium way, 

accompanied by a happy menagerie of playful and bold graphic work 

from some of the greatest ad men of the era.

Otto Treumann, 1962, thanks to Grain Edit

Fred Troller, ca. 1964, thanks to dwell

George Giusti, 1964, thanks to Burning Settlers Cabin

Abram Games, 1962

Daphne Padden, thanks to Quad Royal

André François, 1963-4, thanks to Sandi Vincent aka sandiv999

André François, 1963

1962 and 1964 American ads from Vintage Ad Browser

Karel Teissel 1965, from Terry Posters

Tom Eckersley, 1962, thanks again to Quad Royal

Celestino Piatti, thanks again to Sandi Vincent

Raymond Savignac, 1965, thanks to Steven J. Moore

Jaroslav Zelenka, 1965, from Terry Posters

Birds of Prey

Mexican Self Portrait

To end this week's very feathery adventure on a strong note, I have chosen the powerful, sometimes ominous

 creatures of Leonard Baskin, an American artist who worked as a sculptor, painter, illustrator, wood-engraver,

 printmaker, graphic artist, writer and teacher. Born in 1922, Baskin grew up in New York and studied at 

a Jewish religious college before going to Yale University. While still a student he founded Gehenna, 

a small private press that produced over 100 fine books before his death in 2000, becoming the longest running

 privately owned press in the US. From 1953 to 1974 Baskin taught printmaking and sculpture at Smith College 

in Northampton, Massachusetts, then moved for nine years with the family to Devon, close to his good friend 

the poet Ted Hughes. Leonard and Ted collaborated on various publications, including Crow and Cave Birds.

 Baskin won a Caldecott honor for his children's book Hosie's Alphabet in 1973.

The Raptor

The Black Raptor

Fanciful Bird

Cave Bird

The Day Owl

Crow Icon

Open Fantasy

Baskin created a great number of prints, using techniques ranging from woodcut to etching and lithography.

Eagles of Heaven

Rainbow Tailed Raptor

Burgeoning Phoenix

Celebration Bird

After spending the first half of his artistic career expressing himself exclusively in black and white, 

Baskin started his explorations of color as shown in the three watercolors above. His artworks are hosted 

in the collections of many major international museums, including the Metropolitan, The Museum of Modern Art, 

the Vatican, the British Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Smithsonian and the Tate Gallery. 

The images in this post are thanks to R. Michelson Galleries beautiful website.

The Thieving Magpie

The suite from Rossini's opera was turned into a very special animated short by Emanuele (Lele) Luzzati and Giulio Gianini. After fighting with each other for a hundred years, three powerful kings decide to make a pact and instead launch a war against birds. Not a good idea! A very feisty magpie is going to punish them and save the day. This innovative cut-out animation was nominated for an Oscar in 1964.

Mind Travel

Cruises to Every Land through Every Sea brochure, 1927

dreaming of salty air, sunny lands and wild life...

Raymond-Whitcomb steamship brochure, 1929

These two pieces come from the large archives of awesome ephemera at travelbrochuregraphics. Check out the great collection of modernist brochures featuring designs by the likes of Herbert Matter and Erberto Carboni.

unidentified design from my old collection of paper clippings

Australia poster by Gert Sellheim, 1937,

from the National Library of Australia Digital Collections

Portugal poster by Gustavo Fontoura, 1954

Air Afrique poster by Jacques Auriac, c.1965

from a beautiful Grain Edit post on 1950s-70s travel posters

Fly BOAC poster featuring puzzled Pakistani tigers

from Pignouf's huge vintage poster Picasa album

Swissair poster by Hugo Wetli, from Graphis Annual 1958-59

Air India poster by K.K. Save, from Graphis Annual 1962-63

Air France Chile poster by Nathan Garamond, from Graphis Annual 1963-64

Qantas Johannesburg airline sticker, from Illustration Today textbook 1963

Cover of Holiday magazine by George Giusti, from Graphis Annual 1966-67

this last series of five gorgeously colorful graphics comes from one of flickr's happier lands,

the wonderful collection of mid-century design and illustration by sandiv999

thank you everyone for all the happy travelling!