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Object Timeline
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1959 |
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2009 |
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2024 |
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Record Cover, Persuasive Percussion
This is a Record cover. It was made for (as the client) Command Records. It is dated 1959 and we acquired it in 2009. Its medium is offset lithograph on white wove paper, gate-fold cardboard, black vinyl 33 1/3 rpm record. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.
This is one of a set of seven album covers (1959–61) designed by Josef Albers for Command Records. The compositions for the series are abstract, relying on differences of scale and color to convey syncopation, rhythm, and tone. In Persuasive Percussion, dots appear to be released from a rigid grid of dots below to hover randomly in space.
Albers, principally associated with the Bauhaus in Dessau, Germany, prior to teaching at Black Mountain College in North Carolina, was instrumental in developing the Department of Design at Yale University. His investigation of color theory is best known through his series of paintings and prints, Homage to the Square (begun in 1949), and his publication, Interaction of Color (1963), which influenced color field painting and the conceptual artists of the 1960s.
Command Records was founded in 1959 by Enoch Light, a classically trained violinist active as a band leader and recording entrepreneur after World War II. Bringing a high degree of sophistication to the marketing of stereo recordings, Light selected and arranged musical compositions, taking advantage of the right-left channelization of the new stereo equipment. To match the avant-garde nature of the musical compositions, Light asked Albers to produce designs that would evoke the syncopated spirit of the music and suggest the avant-garde nature of the music scene. Each cover in the series is a visual metaphor for the tempos and rhythms of the instruments featured on the tracks, including marimbas, trap sets, and bongos. Additionally, these albums showcase the innovative gatefold cover, which was first introduced by Light for Command Records. The gatefold design allowed for expanded liner notes and technical commentary pertaining to the production of the stereo recordings.
The critic Martin Filler has commented on how gestalt perception influenced Albers’s designs for the Command Records album covers. According to Filler, Albers is able to graphically convey the effect of listening to the musical arrangements by equating the sounds of the percussion instruments to abstract geometrical forms of varying size. Albers was known to have been interested in gestalt theory as early as 1930, when he attended lectures on the subject delivered by Count Karlfried von Dürckheim at the University of Leipzig. Other colleagues of Albers at the Bauhaus, including Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee, were also keenly interested in the implications of gestalt theory on modern painting.
This is one of four Albers designs for Command Records under consideration for acquisition. These works will enhance the museum’s collection of graphic design by significant designers of second half of 20th century.
This object was featured in our Object of the Week series in a post titled Albers's album cover.
It is credited Gift of Mathew Weaver in honor of Lenora J. and Robert J. Weaver.
- Album Cover, Defunkt
- offset lithograph on paper.
- Gift of Tibor Kalman/ M & Co..
- 1993-151-56
- Album Cover, Earle Mankey
- offset lithography.
- Gift of Tibor Kalman/ M & Co..
- 1993-151-58
![Drawing in crayon and gouache, featuring the face of African-American entertainer, Josephine Baker [whose exotic appearance and seductive dance movements caused a sensation in 1920’s Paris.] Her face, the largest element in the drawing, takes up a significant portion of the top half of the page. Small, loose 'gesture' drawings of four nude dancing women are in the bottom half. These are arranged in a semi-circle starting at her ear (viewer’s left) dipping around her neck, and rising up again to her other ear. The effect is as if the figures form a fantastical “collar” around her neck. Overall, the drawing has the feeling of a stage set - with a spotlight above her head and lights on either side. Clearly, she’s the main attraction, the dancing figurese are the supporting act. Baker’s face is rendered as an animated caricature/sketch. She has dark skin, bright flashing eyes (looking to to viewer’s right) with pronounced (mascared/false) eyelashes and bold black liner on top and lower eye lids emphasizing the almond shape of her eyes. Her hair is closely cropped and slicked down (lacquered) around her head (as if it were painted on) with a curl pasted on her forehead, and one on each of her cheeks. [The severe hairstyle popular in the 1920’s, sometimes called the “Eton crop” ie like a schoolboy’s, emphasizes the shape of the head and focuses interest on the face. It was Baker’s signature look.] A diagonal white line on her dark hair (almost like a side part) makes her hair seem shiny, as if catching a reflection of light. She has an indistinctly shaped nose (defined only by a small swiggly line at the very tip.) Her smile is broad and engaging. She appears to be wearing shiny lipstick (a glimmer of light reflects on her lower lip.) Her teeth are rendered as a solid half-moon shape, completely filled in with dazzling white. It is the brightest area in the drawing, falling almost in the center, and keeps commanding the viewer’s attention. Her forehead is a dark brown while the bottom (from nose to chin) is a light beige color - as if illuminated by some light source. Her head floats between two parallel diagonal lines as if caught in a beam from a spotlight shining down from somewhere above the upper left corner. The “beam' of light is set against a royal blue background, almost like a curtain or stage backdrop. Further giving the impression of a theatrical setting, within each blue area there is an uncolored, rounded shape that looks like the diffused glow from a klieg or stage light. Following the beam down from the spot light, one finds the four naked dancing figures beneath the face. They could be quick sketches of “Josephine” dancing. Each has her cropped hairstyle. Two appear to wear bananas at their hips, one sports ostrich feathers on her rear. [These 'accessories' might be references to her famous scandalous costumes - which included a belt made from bananas or strategically placed feathers.] The fourth has no accessories to embellish her birthday suit. They are in various dynamic poses as if caught in mid motion. Each dancer has very expressive hand gestures. From viewer’s left, dancer A (the largest of the four) is positioned at about 8 o’clock, dancer B (doing a deep knee bend with one leg pointed straight out) at about 7 o’clock, dancer C (smiling, boldly naked, and facing viewer directly) at about 5 o’clock; and dancer D (the smallest figure looking like she is running off in the distance ) at about 3 o’clock. The artist used a limited palette: besides brown/beige/taupe/black/white (face and bodies of the dancers); there is cobalt blue (on either side and at the bottom of the “spotlight”); a hint of acid yellow (by dancer A); and a hint of pale mauve/pink (by dancer C.) What’s remarkable about this drawing is how the artist captured the charisma and sensuality of Josephine Baker in a relatively simple sketch of her head. Her giant face has tremendous personality and a most engaging almost blinding smile as compared to, and balanced by, the four smaller, sinuous but anonymous dancing figures beneath. There is a clarity and logic to the graphic design - as the diagonals and circular lines keep directing the viewer back to Josephine's face.Drawing in crayon and gouache, featuring the face of Josephine Baker (African American entertainer whose exotic appearance and seductive dance movements caused a sensation in 1920’s Paris.) Her face, the largest element in the drawing, takes up a significant portion of the top half of the page. Small, loose 'gesture' drawings of four nude dancing women are in the bottom half. These are arranged in a semi-circle starting at her ear (viewer’s left) dipping around her neck, and rising up again to her other ear. The effect is as if the figures form a fantastical “collar” around her neck. Overall, the drawing has the feeling of a stage set - a spotlight above her head and lights on either side. Clearly, she’s the main attraction, the other dancers are the supporting act. Baker’s face is rendered as an animated caricature/sketch. She has dark skin, bright flashing eyes (looking to to viewer’s right) with pronounced (mascared/false) eyelashes and bold black liner on top and lower eye lids emphasizing the almond shape of her eyes. Her hair is closely cropped and slicked down (lacquered) around her head (as if it were painted on) with a curl pasted on her forehead, and one on each of her cheeks. [The severe hairstyle popular in the 1920’s, sometimes called the “Eton crop” ie like a schoolboy’s, emphasizes the shape of the head and focuses interest on the face. It was Baker’s signature look.] A diagonal white line on her dark hair (almost like a side part) makes her hair seem shiny, as if catching a reflection of light. She has an indistinctly shaped nose (defined only by a small swiggly line at the very tip.) Her smile is broad and engaging. She appears to be wearing shiny lipstick (a glimmer of light reflects on her lower lip.) Her teeth are rendered as a solid half-moon shape, completely filled in with bright white. It is the brightest area in the drawing, falling almost in the center, and keeps commanding the viewer’s attention. Her forehead is a dark brown while the bottom (from nose to chin) is a light beige color - as if illuminated by some light source. Her head floats between two parallel diagonal lines as if caught in a beam from a spotlight shining down from somewhere above the upper left corner. The “beam' of light is set against a royal blue background, almost like a curtain or stage backdrop. Further giving the impression of a stage set, within each blue area there is an uncolored, rounded shape that looks like the halo from a glowing light. As the viewer follows the light beam, one finds the four naked dancing figures beneath the face. They could be quick sketches of “Josephine” dancing. Each has her cropped hairstyle. Two appear to wear bananas at their hips, one sports ostrich feathers on her rear (these 'accessories' might be references to her famous scandalous costumes - which included a belt made from bananas or strategically placed feathers.) The fourth has no accessories to embellish her birthday suit. They are in various dynamic poses, and each one has expressive hand gestures. From viewer’s left, dancer A (the largest of the four) is positioned at about 8 o’clock, dancer B (doing a deep knee bend with one leg pointed straight out) at about 7 o’clock, dancer C (smiling, boldly naked, and facing viewer directly) at about 5 o’clock; and dancer D (the smallest figure looking like she is running off in the distance ) at about 3 o’clock. The artist used a limited palette: besides brown/beige/taupe/black/white (face and bodies of the dancers); there is cobalt blue (on either side and at the bottom of the “spotlight”); a hint of acid yellow (by dancer A); and a hint of pale mauve/pink (by dancer C.) What’s remarkable about this drawing is how the artist captured the charisma and sensuality of Josephine Baker in a relatively simple sketch of her head. Her giant face has tremendous personality and a most engaging dazzling white smile as compared to, and balanced by, the four smaller, sinuous but anonymous dancing figures beneath. There is a clarity and logic to the graphic design - as the diagonals and circular lines keep directing the viewer back to Josephine's face.](https://images.collection.cooperhewitt.org/325249_07a030cfa0f81d5c_n.jpg "Object ID #907131607")
- Object ID #907131607
- crayon and gouache on paper.
- The Collection of Richard H. Driehaus, Chicago.
- 49.2016.3
Our curators have highlighted 1 object that are related to this one.
- Vase, ca. 1927
- blown, enamel-painted glass.
- Gift of Neil and Donna Weisman.
- 2015-48-5
Its dimensions are
Closed cover: 31.6 x 31.6 cm (12 7/16 x 12 7/16 in.) Open cover: 31.6 x 63.4 cm (12 7/16 x 24 15/16 in.)
Cite this object as
Record Cover, Persuasive Percussion; Client: Command Records; USA; offset lithograph on white wove paper, gate-fold cardboard, black vinyl 33 1/3 rpm record; Closed cover: 31.6 x 31.6 cm (12 7/16 x 12 7/16 in.) Open cover: 31.6 x 63.4 cm (12 7/16 x 24 15/16 in.); Gift of Mathew Weaver in honor of Lenora J. and Robert J. Weaver; 2009-44-1-a/d
This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Hear, See, Play: Designing with Sound.
