The first part of the essay will be about his life and career and in second part I will focus on analyzing influences on his work.
William H. Bradley was an American artist, editor, engraver, illustrator, designer and typographer who is best known today for his Art Nouveau posters. He was born in 1868 in Boston, Massachusetts. His excitement for art had been built from his childhood because his father was a cartoonist. After his father’s death he got his first job at the age of 12 which was also the first time he got in touch with printing and typography as a printer for weekly magazine. After moving to Chicago he obtained a job as an illustrator for ‘’The Island Printer’’ and also for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.
William Bradley is considered as one of the most influential American Art Nouveau artist. He mostly got an inspiration from English artists, particularly designer William Morris and illustrator Aubrey Beardsley. He was also behind the popularization of posters in USA.
It is hard to imagine how difficult it had been for him to earn a living in such an early age and be able to reach the position when he was at his best. Because as fulltime worker he did not had time to study but he was a self taught. Fortunately his job and everything he did for a living was actually the study environment for him.
He dedicated a big part of his life to American publishing and his career was closely connected as well. The Saturday Evening Post called him the “dean of American design’’.
Some of his posters and covers can be seen in a collection of works created for several magazines called “The Chap-Book” where are the earliest examples of Art Nouveau in United States.
Examples from The Chap-Book
He later on published his own magazine called Bradley: His Book which is a periodical containing compilations of poetry, stories, and sketches.
When we go into the details on his style we can clearly say how much he was influenced by William Morris and Aubrey Beardsley. No wonder he was called an American Beardsley, because his work has many similarities. The most emphasizing elements I have noticed are lively curves into serried springs. I think it is most used for hair as seen on the book cover.
Also for dresses as it is on the cover of The Chap-Book.
Another element I observed which many Art Nouveau artists have in common is nature-inspired lines. However the way Bradley did that certainly shows the relation to Morris William’s style where we can also see focus on botanical elements with organized layout.
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