Underground Modernist: E. McKnight Kauffer | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Largest-ever retrospective on graphic design pioneer E. McKnight Kauffer

Hailed in his lifetime as “the poster king,” E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954) believed that the street was an art gallery for the people. While living in England between 1914 and 1940, Kauffer produced radical posters for advertising that introduced modernism to the public. He experimented in provocative ways with line, form, space, and color to promote services and products. He did not limit himself to posters, and designed a remarkable range of book covers, rugs, theatrical productions, and more, continuing his work in New York from 1940 until his death.

Underground Modernist: E. McKnight Kauffer is the largest-ever retrospective to examine the designer’s impact and legacy across media. Organized chronologically in 10 sections, the exhibition traces Kauffer’s career from his beginnings as a painter to his transformation into an internationally renowned commercial artist.

Exhibition Highlights

Graphic advertising poster for [AEROSHELL LUBRICATING OIL], with a stylized image of a sleek racing car in motion, in black, deep blues, white, and warm yellow — Poster, Aeroshell Lubricating Oil, 1932; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Shell-Mex and BP Ltd. (London, England); Printed by Chorley & Pickersgill, Ltd. (London, England); Lithograph; 76.2 × 114.3 cm (30 × 45 in.); Merrill C. Berman Collection

Poster for the film Metropolis depicting formations of stooped workers beneath high rise buildings and giant machine wheels. — Drawing, Design for Metropolis by Fritz Lang, 1926; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Brush and gouache; 74.9 × 43.2 cm (29 1/2 × 17 in.); The Museum of Modern Art, Given anonymously, 78.1961; Digital Image © The Museum of Modern Art/Licensed by SCALA / Art Resource, NY

A stage design composed of vertical stripes in blue, yellow, orange, red and black, with four large triangles in white, red, black and green in the center. The triangles are overlaid with groups of colored diagonal lines. — Drawing, Stage Design: Backdrop, for Checkmate, ca. 1947; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Designed for the Royal Opera House (London, England); Produced and choreographed by Ninette de Valois (Irish, 1898–2001); Music composed by Arthur Bliss (British, 1891–1975); Brush and gouache; 35.4 × 54.6 cm (13 15/16 × 21 1/2 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-272; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

A black poster advertising Fortnum and Mason with a large black and white tape measure curling along the left side, there is a brown, gold, and beige rectangular box in the bottom right corner with an address underneath. — Booklet cover, *Fortnum & Mason*, ca. 1931; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Fortnum and Mason (London, England); Letterpress halftone; 21.1 × 29 cm (8 5/16 × 11 7/16 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Grace Schulman, 1997-134-1-5; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Poster featuring an abstracted building engulfed in flames and smoke. Below, in grey and red: LONDON HISTORY AT THE/LONDON MUSEUM/ DOVER STREET/ OR ST. JAMES'S PARK STATION. — Poster, London History at the London Museum, 1922, printed 1923; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Underground Electric Railways of London Company Ltd. (London, England); Printed by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son (London, England); Lithograph; 101.9 × 59.8 cm (40 1/8 × 23 9/16 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-24; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

The front cover and spine of a vertically standing book with a dust jacket design featuring text and a quasi-Cubist image of two idealized figures walking briskly. — Book cover, *Look! We Have Come Through!* by D. H. Lawrence, 1917; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Chatto & Windus (London, England); Letterpress; 22.1 × 17.9 cm (8 11/16 × 7 1/16 in.); Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, Purchase from the Margery Masinter Endowment; Photo courtesy of Peter Harrington Booksellers

A gouache drawing for T.S. Eliot's poem Marina. In the center are two abstract blue, white and black seated figures, one sitting on the other's lap with legs crossed at the ankles, with both set against a blue abstracted background. One twists to hold a sphere with a hand pointed upwards to our right and the other has blue text across the chest. — Drawing, Illustration for Marina by T. S. Eliot, 1930; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Brush and blue and black gouache; 40.9 × 31.2 cm (16 1/8 × 12 5/16 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-326; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Poster, Museum of Natural History, 1923; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Underground Electric Railways of London Company Ltd. (London, England); Printed by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son (London, England); Lithograph; 96.4 × 61.5 cm (37 15/16 × 24 3/16 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-25; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

A screenprint on paper of a poster in a vertical orientation for an exhibit entitled [ORGANIC DESIGN IN HOME FURNISHINGS] showing at the [MUSEUM OF MODERN ART] with a large ecru hand as the main focal point and information regarding the location, hours, and designer are printed in multiple typefaces and several colors of ink mostly in the bottom half of the poster on a black ground. — Poster, Organic Design in Home Furnishings, 1941; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by The Museum of Modern Art; Screenprint; 25.4 x 17.8 cm (10 x 7 in.); Mark and Maura Resnick

Poster with colorful geometric forms filled with striped patterns, abstracted black "s" shape, with below text [Vigil / THE PURE SILK] and the address below. — Poster, Vigil, The Pure Silk, 1919; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Vigil Silks (Dewsbury, England); Printed by Dangerfield Printing Company Ltd. (London, England); Lithograph; 91.3 × 60.5 cm (35 15/16 × 23 13/16 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-18; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Poster of spiral of gray-blue, beige, dark gray splatter-like dots set on top of a large white circle, black background, and silhouettes of figures in dresses falling or dancing. Text above reads [WINTER SALES] and below image states [ARE/ BEST REACHED BY THE/ UNDERGROUND]. — Poster, Winter Sales Are Best Reached by the Underground, 1922; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Underground Electric Railways of London Company Ltd. (London, England); Printed by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son (London, England); Lithograph; 101.8 × 63.4 cm (40 1/16 × 24 15/16 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-22; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Poster of stylized scene with predominately black, olive green, and red coloring of two figures wearing coats with holding open umbrellas, rain, clouds, and background of building and portion of a body of water. Below text reads [WINTER / SALES / ARE BEST REACHED / BY / UNDERGROUND]. — Poster, Winter Sales Are Best Reached by the Underground, 1924; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Underground Electric Railways of London Company Ltd. (London, England); Printed by Johnson, Riddle & Company Ltd. (London, England); Lithograph; 110.2 × 64 cm (43 3/8 × 25 3/16 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-30; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Abstract downturned red horseshoe magnet with lower left black and white photograph of crowd in triangle shape, surrounded by blue, yellow, white and black text — Poster, A Subway Poster Pulls, 1947; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by New York Subway Advertising Company (New York, New York, USA); Screenprint; 76.2 × 116.8 cm (30 × 46 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-119; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Stylized drawing of standing bearded King Henry VIII in royal 16th Century costume filled with black, red, yellow, beige and brown gouache paint. — Costume Design: Henry VIII, for Catherine Parr, or Alexander’s Horse by Maurice Baring, 1925; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Brush and gouache, graphite; 47.3 × 31 cm (18 5/8 × 12 3/16 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-170; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

A bright yellow poster advertising the Daily Herald, with a stylized black, white and grey flock of birds in flight in the top right corner and black text below — Poster, Soaring to Success! Daily Herald—the Early Bird, 1919; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Daily Herald (London, England); Printed by T. B. Lawrence Ltd. (London, England); Lithograph; 200.7 × 160 cm (6 ft. 7 in. × 5 ft. 3 in.); Courtesy of William W. Crouse

Drawing with various disjointed images placed side-by-side. — Drawing, Design for London’s New Entertainment Centre, 1936; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Mixed media, collage, paint, and text; 30.5 × 54.5 cm (12 in. × 21 7/16 in.); Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Color poster of a view of the countryside with quarry, train, and silhouette of buildings in foreground. — Poster, Godstone, 1915, printed 1916; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Underground Electric Railways Company, Ltd. (London, England); Printed by Johnson, Riddle & Company, Ltd. (London, England); Lithograph; 76.3 × 51 cm (30 1/16 × 20 1/16 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-14; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Bold, graphic Harper’s Bazaar magazine cover in blue, orange-red, black, and white, featuring [1940] in large colorblock, overlaid with a black and white photograph of an elegantly dressed woman. — Magazine cover, Harper’s Bazaar, January 1940; designed ca. 1939; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Printed by Hazell, Watson & Viney (Aylesbury, England); Letterpress halftone; 33 x 25 cm (13 x 9 3/4 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Grace Schulman, 1997-134-1-8; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Centered stylized black arm swoops forward with extended fist from black round circle, geometric red structure in background of upper right corner. Black, blue, red text reads [POWER / THE / NERVE CENTRE / OF LONDON'S / UNDERGROUND]. — Poster, Power, The Nerve Centre of London’s Underground, 1930, printed 1931; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by Transport for London (London, England); Printed by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son (London, England); Lithograph; 101.6 × 61.4 cm (40 × 24 3/16 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-45; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

A lithograph on lined paper poster for the United Committee of South-Slavic Americans in 1944. In the center is a black and white photograph of Josip Broz, also known as Tito, superimposed onto a ground of two vertical black arrows and a horizontal red arrow across the lower section, with each arrow pointing in a different direction to create an endless circle. Capitalized text in black, white and red surrounds the image. The poster is signed and inscribed in the lower sections. — Poster, Yugoslav People Led by Tito, 1944; Designed by E. McKnight Kauffer (American, 1890–1954); Published by The United Committee of South-Slavic Americans (Chicago, Illinois, USA); Lithograph; 63.5 × 48.3 cm (25 × 19 in.); Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer, 1963-39-114; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

About E. MCKNIGHT KAUFFER

Photograph, E. McKnight Kauffer, ca. 1920; Photograph by Maud B. Davis; Gelatin silver print; 20.3 × 15.2 cm (8 × 6 in.); Simon Rendall Collection; Photo: Hugh Gilbert

Kauffer was a pioneer of commercial art—the profession known today as graphic design.

At the height of his career in the 1920s and 1930s, Kauffer, an American, was among the most influential artists in England. In 1940, he moved to New York, joining the influx of European designers who brought dynamism to American advertising. His remarkable output includes eye-catching posters for the London Underground, illustrations for celebrated works of literature, and iconic graphics for major corporations such as Shell-Mex and American Airlines.

Through collaborations with his peers in art, literature, performance, and film, Kauffer widened the scope and impact of his practice. A champion of new media, Kauffer’s work included commissions as varied as film titles for Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lodger, illustrations for T. S. Eliot’s Ariel poems, costumes for theatrical and ballet productions, and covers for novels by H. G. Wells, Aldous Huxley, and Ralph Ellison. He shared a dark room with Man Ray and worked with groundbreaking textile designer Marion V. Dorn, who would later become his wife.

Kauffer resisted deﬁning himself with one place to call home, one community of friends, or one artistic style. He was constantly in motion, fulﬁlling a lifelong impulse for travel and a hunger to experience something new. Kauffer and his friends embraced modernism in their creative work, lifestyle, and attitudes toward sexuality, gender roles, and politics. Though Kauffer considered himself a progressive and an egalitarian, his commissioned work tells a more complicated story about his ideals, his privilege, and his perspective on race.

His dedication to design as a social responsibility guided his distinguished career and defines his legacy. “The artist in advertising is a new kind of being,” Kauffer wrote in 1938. “His responsibilities are to my mind very considerable. It is his business constantly to correct values, to establish new ones, to stimulate advertising and help to make it something worthy of the civilization that needs it.”

publication

E. McKnight Kauffer: The Artist in Advertising, co-published by Cooper Hewitt and Rizzoli Electa, features 11 incisive essays from an interdisciplinary group of scholars and provides new contexts through which to examine Kauffer’s work and its impact on design and culture in the early 20th century. Designed by Lucinda Hitchcock, the book includes a chronology and a richly illustrated plate section.

The publication—a 2021 Alice Award finalist—is available at SHOP Cooper Hewitt.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The exhibition is organized by Caitlin Condell, Associate Curator and Head of Drawings, Prints & Graphic Design at Cooper Hewitt, and Emily M. Orr, Ph.D., Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary American Design at Cooper Hewitt, with Caroline O’Connell, Curatorial Assistant, and Kristina Parsons, Curatorial Assistant.

Exhibition design and graphics by LucienneRoberts+ and Universal Design Studio.

Interpretation with Larnies A. Bowen.

SUPPORT

Underground Modernist: E. McKnight Kauffer is made possible with support from the Barbara and Morton Mandel Design Gallery Endowment Fund, the Ehrenkranz Fund, and the Esme Usdan Exhibition Endowment Fund.

E. McKnight Kauffer: The Artist in Advertising is made possible in part by Furthermore: a program of the J. M. Kaplan Fund.