{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1407040"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1407040/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1407040","accessionNumber":"E.488-2020","objectType":"Fashion illustration","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Kenneth Paul Block (1924-2009) graduated from New York's Parsons School of Design in 1945 and earned recognition as one of America’s most distinctive fashion illustrators. In the 1950s he started work as an in-house artist at Fairchild Publications, where he produced illustrations for Women's Wear Daily, and its sister publication, W Magazine. Alongside his work at Fairchild, he recorded the collections of leading New York designers including Halston, Geoffrey Beene, Perry Ellis and Bill Blass. He also produced illustrations for New York department stores such as Bonwit Teller, Lord & Taylor and Bergdorf-Goodman. In a career spanning four decades, his drawings distilled the essence of American fashion and style. However, Block worked in the era that saw photography emerge as the medium of choice for fashion editors and advertisers. In 1992, Fairchild Publications disbanded their fashion Illustration department and let go all of their artists. In 2016 a retrospective of his work was held at the Museum of Fine Art, Boston, where his archives now reside. ","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Kenneth Paul Block","id":"AUTH323957"},"association":{"text":"illustrator","id":"x36173"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink on paper","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Illustration","id":"THES48938"}],"styles":[{"text":"20th century","id":"x44295"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLC","id":"THES49171"},"free":"","case":"CAT","shelf":"6","box":"D"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Fashion Illustration","id":"AAT54203"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"USA","id":"x29333"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1992","earliest":"1992-01-01","latest":"1992-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of the Kenneth Paul Block Foundation","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"63.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"48.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"KPB [monogram] '92","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In ink"},{"content":"KPB [monogram]/SC 06 BC","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In ink, on a small square label printed with <i>FROM THE ARCHIVE OF THE PAUL KENNETH BLOCK FOUNDATION</i>, which is adhered on the verso, in the bottom right corner"},{"content":"SC 06 BC","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In ink on the verso"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Fashion illustration by Kenneth Paul Block, felt-tip and wash on paper, USA, 1992","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Design","id":"THES48872"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.488-2020"],"accessionNumberNum":"488","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2020,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2017-07-28","availableToBook":false}}