Resorts at Sea is officially Murals on the High Seas

So the person who knows the least about building a website is building a website. I've said from time to time, whenever tackling a challenging project, that "I don't know enough not to try." Uh ... Yeah, if that doesn't fit now ...

The home page. The use of circular images gives the impression of portholes.
The tag line: It is art. It is history. Is it art history? (Ay, there's the rub.) 
A little cheesy, but there's no need to get too serious.

It all began with Resorts at Sea and a general interest in artworks created for American passenger ships. (You can read earlier entries by typing in "resorts at sea" in the search area at the upper right corner.) It was fun to see who did what and where it was installed. As I continued to dig, roadblocks kept cropping up with this national mural competition in 1940 to decorate American President Lines' President Jackson-class, seven ships designed for round-the-world passenger/cargo service. It was the second largest competition sponsored by the Section of Fine Arts, and it's become a veritable footnote. I aim to change that.

The New Deal portion has been the most intriguing chapter. 

Originally, the website was to focus on the Jackson-class, but many of the winners received commissions for other liners, so the scope expanded. Focusing on newly-built ships, the story starts with Matson Line's Malolo in 1927 and ending with the nuclear ship Savannah in 1962; covering about 50 ships total. The Malolo utilized art depicting scenes of Hawaii and California, as that was her route, while the Savannah is unique for artworks loaned by the Whitney Museum of American Art.

The story ends with the nuclear ship Savannah, which is still afloat in Baltimore.

Organized by decade (1920s, 1930s, etc.), these American ships will be placed in an even broader context, as you'll be able to look at artworks on foreign liners, like Empress of Britain, Bremen, Normandie, Queen Mary, Andrea Doria, and Rotterdam, to name a few. The fun part has been locating images with identifiable artworks in clear focus; not always an easy task. As a result, not all artworks can be shown.

It's been amazing the amount of resources consulted and/or gathered in this project; 
book covers are shown in the "portholes." Many will be shown in the Odds & Ends tab.

Phase One will take care of the basics: a little history, minor observations, and the obligatory Facebook page to drive traffic and conversation. (And acceptance that the site will continue to evolve, and not be 100% perfect right out of the gate.) Phase Two will include more observations, comparisons, exploration of themes, and the possible addition of more ships. Phase Three will include a book deal, traveling exhibit, perhaps a lecture tour, because why not? If we're going to do this, let's do it up right.

The Peabody Essex Museum, in cooperation with the Victoria and Albert Museum, just wrapped up Ocean Liners: Speed and Style, dedicated to all aspects of the ocean liner culture. Alas, I wasn't able to make the trip to see it, but I do have the book, and it's very well done, but with little emphasis on our side of "the pond." *grumble grumble* It does make for a nice benchmark, though.

Anyway, I think things are on track to launch sometime in March 2018. See you on the "maiden voyage!"

Resorts at Sea: July: A Tale of Two Brochures

As American steamship lines phased out their passenger operations in the late 1960s, foreign owned cruise lines were in the ascendant.

 

A couple months back, I was lucky to get an American President Lines brochure from 1968. To put things in context, within two years President Roosevelt would be sold to Chandris, and President Cleveland and President Wilson were laid up by 1973.

 

I was stunned at the quality of the brochure. Though fewer pages, the finish size (nine inches high, eight inches wide) is the same size as the Royal Viking Line’s Cruise Atlas (1974-76). At the time, Royal Viking was the epitome of luxury cruising. They picked up where Cunard’s Caronia (The Green Goddess) left off. Come to think of it, this Cruise Atlas may be one of the first brochures to have the entire fleet in it. Royal Viking Star entered service mid-1972, Royal Viking Sky almost a year later, and Royal Viking Sea in December 1973.

 

Forgive me; it’s been awhile since I analyzed media to help wrap up my BA in Communications, and yes, I saved my textbooks, but their current location escapes me …

 

The covers are very similar: Helicopter shot of a lone ship underway on a vast expanse of open sea.

Deck plans have the same attention to detail, showing the placement of all furnishings and fixtures. It wasn’t until newbuilds like Royal Caribbean’s Song of Norway when cabins were standardized, and you could get away with printing one picture of a sample cabin for each category. I never have figured out why every cabin in mid-century ships, especially those in the same price category, were all slightly different from each other. And personally, I like seeing people in a stateroom, as it helps give you a sense of scale.

 

 

Graphics were certainly different. APL was more traditional in their route maps, while Royal Viking’s world map is a cross between Op art and a Roy Lichtenstein comic book panel.

 

Brochures today are more slickly produced, and I'm noticing that production values increased about the mid-1970s. Established companies, like Cunard and Holland America were already there, but the new kids: Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, and Princess were playing catch up.

 

As I’ve been comparing these brochures, I’ve also been looking up items regarding the Argentina and Brasil of 1958 and wondering if they influenced design decisions leading to Holland America’s Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam from the early 1980s. So that’ll be an upcoming post. And in the spirit of The Mystery of Michael Lantz, I’ll discuss Henry Dreyfuss and Raymond Loewy, and why they’re not interchangeable.

Resorts at Sea - September 2012

Those who even have a passing interest in ocean liners are aware of the etched glass panels in the First Class Ballroom on the United States. Edge-lit, the undersea motif was created by Charles Gilbert and executed by Harriton Glass Company. Many of the panels are on display in the SS United States Restaurant on board the Celebrity Infinity.

The May-June 1952 issue of the Shipyard Bulletin, put out by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, said the sandblasting technique used to create these panels was “the first time this method of carving has ever been applied to fine art.” 

Au contraire …

Cleveland, Ohio native Elsa Vick Shaw designed a glass mural that ended up in the dining room of the 1941-built passenger-cargo liner President Hayes. Made up several panels, they depict a lush South Pacific scene, which was part of the route of these "Round the World" American President liners. While Shaw designed it, Rose Iron Works did the execution.

Elsa Vick Shaw's sketch of the enormous etched glass mural for the President Hayes.

Taken from The Studio, February 1941.

 

I spoke recently with Bob Rose, of Rose Iron Works about this mural. There are two sample panels in their museum, one of which you can see here. Bob’s dad, Melvin, did the work. Sadly, he passed away in February of this year. Bob is working on preserving the company history and was able to get his dad on video talking about the early days. Even though Mr. Ross was a friend of Shaw, he recalled that they got into a bit of a discussion on how the breasts of the native girls were turning out. Shaw was not happy. (It’s all in the details.)

The President Hayes made only one voyage from March to June 1941. After that trip, the Navy took her over. The Hayes served in World War II, and had trooping duties well into the 1950s, when put into the Marad Reserve in Suisun Bay. In 1975, the President Hayes was scrapped.

As the Hayes was the third of the President Jackson-class, and only made one voyage, few photos exist. (Generally, the first born gets the most attention ... “Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!”) A search into American President Line archives is going on right now. I will be over the moon if interior shots of the Hayes are found, but sadly, odds are these sketches may be the only pieces that remain.

Resorts at Sea: July 2012

As I was writing last month’s Resorts update, I was just completing what one may call a devouring of Who Was Who in American Art. It’s a reference guide to American artists active from 1898 to 1947. Roughly 50% of my artist list for this project was covered; better than I had hoped. The book, as well as encouragement and new avenues of exploration, was provided by a new acquaintance.

Also in my greedy clutches is an article from The Studio detailing the works onboard the President Jackson-class of 1940, which is a boon. Why? Because it’s illustrated!

 

The President Jackson of 1940. Seven ships were in this class. Only two
returned to serve for American President Lines.

I’ve also identified about half a dozen artists still living. The youngest is 87, the oldest 95. I’ve written them, and so far have heard from two. One did a mural for the United States, and is possibly the last of the artists who did work for any of the big public spaces on the superliner. The other did work for the President Hayes, one of the aforementioned President Jackson-class. The latter was decorated through a contest held by the Maritime Commission and the Section of Fine Arts, a Federal Works Agency; basically a piece of FDR’s New Deal.

There are several books out there regarding the hundreds of post office murals created through the New Deal, but only a handful of ships were decorated in this manner. Over 400 artists entered over 1,400 designs as part of this contest. If there are images of each entry somewhere in some archives, one could almost do a book on those alone.

But let’s try to finish this one first.

 

 The 1950 President Jackson on the left, the super Del  Norte on the right.

I stumbled across the Wolfsonian Library during a recent Google search. There I found a rendering of a proposed super Del Norte, for the Delta Line, of which I found a brief mention in the Pacific Marine Review. From the outside, it’s easy to mistake it for the ill-fated President Jackson-class of the early 1950s. The President Jackson’s were requisitioned by the Navy for the Korean Conflict and never saw service under the American President Lines flag. Both were designed by the firm of George G. Sharp. This has led me to definitely include a chapter on the ships that were designed, but never made it off the drawing board. (It’s been on the bubble.)

In a weird twist, I think I may have found the patent application describing Emile Norman’s technique used in creating his decorative screens for the Observation Lounge of American Export Lines’ Independence. If it’s not, then it’s what led up to it. And I really want to dig behind an article I have regarding American Export’s plans for their own version of the United States. She would’ve been roughly the same size, but not as fast.

While this picture is in the Tourist and Cabin Class brochures,

it's really the playroom for First Class on the ss United States.

I’ve also been focusing on Charley Harper. If I ever have kids, they will be raised on Looney Tunes, and the works of Charley Harper. His illustrations are pure elegance and simplicity. He did the prints that hung in the Tourist Class Children’s Playroom on the United States. I have a brochure with photos of the Tourist Class public spaces, however, the one noting the children’s playroom is actually for First Class. Whoops! To be fair, the records say Charles Harper did the prints, but given that Charley Harper illustrated a children’s book in 1950, and the playroom prints are labeled The Goose That Layed the Golden Egg, Little Boy Blue, Three Little Pigs, Jonah and the Whale, Rock-a-Bye Baby, and Humpty Dumpty, I think I’m safe in making the leap.

The more I dig into the backgrounds of these artists, it’s not hard to conclude that the arts play a vital role in our society. Many of the artists had stints as teachers – they paid it forward. Many of them have works in museums and collections around the world. They've created a legacy to inspire generations to come.

Won't you let me take you on a sea cruise? (updated)

*Update (9 January)*

The addition of public rooms on the President Cleveland and President Wilson, and status of the history project.

While packing to leave Missouri and then Iowa to head out to Colorado, I procrastinated a little by thumbing through my ocean liner collection. The collection began with postcards then moved to brochures and deck plans. And while I have a little from just about every major steamship line in Europe, I've been focusing on American companies.

American steamship lines really came into their own after World War II before succumbing to jet travel in the mid-1960s. This time period (1946-1965) also encompasses the Golden Age of Advertising. (Mad Men alert!) Mid-century design really appeals to me. The clean lines and bold colors are timeless.

Anyway, I began to notice trends in design; the designs of the printed materials and the external and internal architecture of the ships.

The above plan of the Delta trio shows part of the rounded superstructure. Notice how the cabins follow the curve. These ships were built in 1946, and this kind of cabin arrangement wouldn't be seen again until P&O's Canberra in 1960.

American President Lines started building a similar trio in the early 1950s. The same architect designed these ships as well as the Delta trio, hence the similarities, especially the rounded superstructure. Sadly, with the Korean War, these President liners were appropriated for the Navy and never saw commercial service. One thing I found interesting is the balcony for the main lounge. I think just about every balcony I've seen on a ship runs fore to aft, with the center open to below. This is the first one where the opening looks to the port side (or any side for that matter).
A popular pair on the Mediterranean were American Export Lines' Independence and Constitution (which would see service for American Hawaii Cruises in the 1980s). This a drawing of the Boat'n Bottle Bar. I really like the lines on the deck radiating from the bar. The interiors of these ships were designed by Henry Dreyfuss. If you don't know the name, you know the products. Remember the round Honeywell thermostats? The Twentieth Century Limited (as highlighted in North by Northwest)? The AT&T desk and wall phones from the 1960s? Those and many, many other everyday items came from his drawing boards.

Perhaps my favorite ocean liner is the United States. I could talk for days about her, and no, sadly, that's not a metaphor. Built in 1952, she took 12 hours off the Queen Mary's best time across the Atlantic. She was so speedy, she could run in reverse faster than most of today's cruise ships can go forward. In my mind, she was the epitome of Mid-century Modern. The top rendering is the First Class Dining Room, the bottom, the First Class Restaurant.

I'm hoping to gather more information on these and other ships to illustrate this side of American design. I've no idea of a timeline. I've been collecting since junior high, so who knows?

Status Update

Apologies for the quality of the following images. They're from a 50+ year old American President brochure for President Cleveland and President Wilson. When you're folded up for most of that time, you don't unfold very well. (Plus my scanner is still in Iowa.)

The first image is of the typical First Class Lanai Suite. There's a little bit of an Asian influence, especially with the window screens. The bottom shows the First Class Main Lounge and Smoking Room. Both are quite contemporary in design.

I've also come across several more designers and artists involved with post-war refurbishments (of pre-war ships) and the new post-war liners. The scale and scope of this project leaning towards more of a treatise than a simple look back. Now a treatise does not scare me. Yes, it makes me pause, but "the game is on."

At this point, I think I've gleaned everything I can from The New York Times. I will need to go back into the periodical indexes to explore the works of these new people. Archives will need to be culled, once I locate them, as some of these companies no longer exist. Color images will come at a premium, but a 1949 article from Fortune shows so many possibilities!

Interestingly enough, eBay has become a resource with its ocean liner memorabilia listings. And if I cannot afford the prices, I can at the very least cut and paste the images as they'll serve as a departure point for further research.