Figurative cartouche on a map of matrimony by Cleland

Thomas Maitland Cleland (August 18, 1880 – November 9, 1964) was an American book designer,

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complica ...

, and type designer.

Early life and education

Thomas Maitland Cleland was born August 18, 1880 in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, behi ...

. Cleland studied at the ArtistArtisan Institute in Chelsea, New York, but was otherwise self-taught.

Career

Cleland began his career as a

book design Book design is the art of incorporating the content, style, format, design, and sequence of the various components and elements of a book into a coherent unit. In the words of renowned typographer Jan Tschichold (1902–1974), book design, "though ...

er for the Caslon Press and created title pages for Merrymount Press. D. B. Updike of Merrymount Press was a mentor who encouraged him to strive for perfection with commissions and criticism. When the Caslon Press folded in 1900, Cleland acquired a small foot-powered press and some fonts and launched his own printing shop from a room he constructed in his father's basement. He managed to produce two small books along with small job printing projects. His work caught the notice of printing enthusiasts in Boston, who persuaded him to move his operation there and launch the Cornhill Press. From 1907 to 1908, Cleland was art director of '' McClure’s'' Magazine, completely redesigning the periodical during his tenure. In 1925, he created illustrations and typography for Wesvaco Paper Corporation's in-house magazine. In 1929, he was hired on as art director to design '' Fortune'' magazine by

Henry Luce Henry Robinson Luce (April 3, 1898 – February 28, 1967) was an American magazine magnate who founded '' Time'', '' Life'', ''Fortune'', and '' Sports Illustrated'' magazine. He has been called "the most influential private citizen in the Ameri ...

. The initial issue in February 1930 was hailed as a masterpiece of classical design and was pitched to Luce at the initial meeting. In 1937, he planned a typographical refresh of '' Newsweek''. Later, he designed the newspaper '' PM''. The design of the newspaper earned him the Ayer Award.Friedl, Ott, and Stein, p. 170. He worked on eight books for the Limited Editions Club of The Heritage Press, designing a variety of illustrations, typography, and complete books. He also consulted printers on ink printing. He was a member of the

Architectural League of New York The Architectural League of New York is a non-profit organization "for creative and intellectual work in architecture, urbanism, and related disciplines". The league dates from 1881, when Cass Gilbert organized meetings at the Salmagundi Club for ...

, the Society of Illustrators and the Century Club, and an honorary member of the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts and the

American Institute of Graphic Arts The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) is a professional organization for design. Its members practice all forms of communication design, including graphic design, typography, interaction design, user experience, branding and identity. T ...

and was associated with

American Type Founders American Type Founders (ATF) Co. was a business trust created in 1892 by the merger of 23 type foundries, representing about 85% of all type manufactured in the United States. De Vinne, Theodore Low, ''The Practice of Typography,'' Century Com ...

for most of the early twentieth century. In 1940, he won the AIGA medal for his work. In 1960, in recognition of his work the New York Public Library held an exhibition for two months. In 1978, he was induced into the Art Directors Club Hall of Fame. Cleland died November 9, 1964 in

Danbury, Connecticut Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut. Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat City ...

Typefaces

Della Robbia Della Robbia is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Luca della Robbia (1400–1481), Italian sculptor * Andrea della Robbia (1435–1525), Italian sculptor, nephew of Luca *Giovanni della Robbia (1469–1529), son of Andrea *Girola ...

(1903,

ATF The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevent ...

) later cast by

Lanston Monotype Monotype Imaging Holdings Inc., founded as Lanston Monotype Machine Company in 1887 in Philadelphia by Tolbert Lanston, is an American (historically Anglo-American) company that specializes in digital typesetting and typeface design for use wit ...

(1915),

Deberny & Peignot Deberny & Peignot (Fonderie Deberny et Peignot) was a French type foundry, created by the 1923 merger of G. Peignot & Fils and Deberny & Cie. It was bought by the Haas Type Foundry (Switzerland) in 1972, which in turn was merged into D. Stempel ...

(1917) and Intertype, and cast as ''Westminster Oldstyle'' by

Stephenson Blake Stephenson Blake is an engineering company based in Sheffield, England. The company was active from the early 19th century as a type founder, remaining until the 1990s as the last active type foundry in Britain, since when it has diversified in ...

(1907), and as ''Firenze'' by Typefoundry Amsterdam. ** ''Della Robbia Light'' (1913,

) was cut by Morris Fuller Benton and copied by Damon & Peat as ''Armstrong.'' ** ''Della Robbia Initials'' ( Intertype) are not related at all.MacGrew, ''American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century,'' pp. 116 + 117. * Garamond No. 3 + Italic (1917,

) in collaboration with Morris Fuller Benton * Swash letters for Caslon Oldstyle Italic No. 471 (1920,

) * Swash letters for Garamond No. 3 + Italic (1922,

)

Bibliography

* Cleland, T.M., ''Giambattista Bodoni of Parma'' (1916) * Cleland, T.M.; Hamill, Alfred E.; Kent, Rockwell (Illustrator), ''The Decorative Work of T.M. Cleland, A Record and Review'', Pynson Printers, New York (1929)

References

* Rollins, Carl Purlington ''American Type Designers and Their Work.'' in Print, V. 4, #1. * Jaspert, W. Pincus, W. Turner Berry and A.F. Johnson, ''The Encyclopedia of Type Faces,'' Blandford Press Lts., 1983, . * MacGrew, Mac, ''American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century,'' Oak Knoll Books, New Castle Delaware, 1993, . * Friedl, Ott, and Stein, ''Typography: an Encyclopedic Survey of Type Design and Techniques Throughout History.'' Black Dog & Levinthal Publishers: 1998. . * ''The decorative work of T.M. Cleland : a record and review / with a biographical and critical introduction by Alfred E. Hamill, and a portrait lithograph by Rockwell Kent,'' Pynson Printers, New York, 1929.

External links

*
Images of his typefaces at Myfonts

UNCG American Publishers' Trade Bindings: Thomas Maitland Cleland

T. M. Cleland Costume Designs for Scaramouche
held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division,

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, is located in Manhattan, New York City, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side, between the Met ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cleland, Thomas Maitland 1880 births 1964 deaths American illustrators 19th-century American painters American male painters 20th-century American painters American typographers and type designers Artists from Brooklyn Book designers AIGA medalists 19th-century American male artists 20th-century American male artists