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Poster, Freddy Johnson and His Harlemites

We have 2 images of Poster, Freddy Johnson and His Harlemites .

Poster (black on cream, offset lithograph on paper, horizontal orientation) promoting musician Freddy Johnson (American Jazz pianist, vocalist, bandleader) and his “Harlemites” band. The focal point is a large portrait of Johnson’s face (3/4 view) in the center, flanked on upper right and lower left by faceless figures of musicians playing various instruments. Overall, the head and figures have the appearance of a softly rendered charcoal drawing with emphasis on light and shadows. Johnson is looking slightly downward and has a closed-lipped smile. The head is elongated, the left side is in shadow from eye socket to chin. A light source from above is reflected on the side of his forehead, brow, cheek, nose, and lips and above his hair line. On upper right corner, six musicians, in two tiers, are playing brass instruments. Top tier has a trombonist and horn player. Only the top half of their bodies is visible as they are “standing behind” the lower tier of musicians who are seated. Lower tier: three saxophonists and another brass player (instrument not clear.) At bottom left corner, seven musicians in a pyramid formation, three tiers. Top tier: two horn players are standing. Middle tier: a trombonist and two horn players are standing (one appears to be singing, his mouth open his instrument raised in one hand.) At the pyramid base: a saxophonist and musician with a stringed instrument (possibly a guitar) are seated. The text on the poster is split into two fragments: positioned at upper left corner and lower right corner, creating a strong, diagonal visual route across the surface just as the positioning of the musicians (upper right, bottom left) create a diagonal in the other direction. Together they form an “X” with Johnson’s face right in the middle. The text top left reads in all caps, FREDDY JOHNSON, and continues bottom right: AND HIS HARLEMITES. The font types and weights are varied, with JOHNSON and HARLEMITES being most prominent. Below Harlemites, in mixed fonts and weights, “Exclusive Brunswick” (a reference to Johnson’s American recording label.) “Brunswick” stands out because of its curvaceous font, whereas all the other texts in the poster are in block letters. At very top right the poster designer Charles Delaunay, is identified: “Ch Delaunay, Paris 34.” Also at the very bottom right (in margin below the poster art) “CREATION CH. DELAUNAY. At bottom left margin, the printer is identified: “IMPRIMERIE R de GONELL Paris'

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