 |
Margaret BrundageAmerican illustrator, author of pulp magazine covers
Date of Birth: 09.12.1900
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Margaret Brundage: Visionary Pulp Illustrator
- Early Life and Education
- Career as an Illustrator
- Breakthrough at Weird Tales
- "Damsel in Distress" Style
- Departure from Weird Tales
- Later Years and Legacy
Margaret Brundage: Visionary Pulp Illustrator
Margaret Brundage (née Margaret Hedda Johnson) was an American illustrator known for her iconic pulp magazine covers.
Early Life and Education
Born in Chicago to Swedish and Irish parents, Margaret's father passed away when she was eight. Raised by her mother and grandmother, she attended school with the young Walt Disney. After graduating in 1921, she studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, where she reunited with Disney.
Career as an Illustrator
Brundage began her career as an illustrator in 1927. She married Myron "Slim" Brundage in 1927, but the marriage proved unhappy, and the couple divorced in 1939.
Breakthrough at Weird Tales
Brundage's first pulp cover was for the September 1932 issue of "Oriental Stories." She soon began working for "Weird Tales" magazine, where she became known for her signature style.
"Damsel in Distress" Style
Brundage's covers were often in the "damsel in distress" style, featuring nude or semi-nude women threatened by danger. Her work was so popular that authors like Seabury Quinn specifically requested her illustrations. Despite signing her work "M. Brundage," many readers initially assumed she was a male artist.
Departure from Weird Tales
In 1938, "Weird Tales" relocated from Chicago to New York. Changes in magazine standards and logistical difficulties led to Brundage's departure from the magazine.
Later Years and Legacy
Brundage spent her later years in relative obscurity, continuing to draw until her death in 1976. Her iconic pulp covers continue to inspire and captivate audiences today.
