Colorado Buffaloes College Football 1990

Jack Davis made this drawing of the Colorado Buffaloes football team, but when it was made is uncertain. Davis was known for his work at Mad Magazine and for creating memorable album covers and movie posters. The style and subject matter point to an aspect of American visual culture often overlooked by art history: commercial illustration. Davis made a career in the world of corporate branding. The image presents us with a curious paradox. Its frantic energy seems to challenge the stoicism and self-control normally associated with sports. But what if this caricature actually reinforces those values? Football is, after all, about controlled aggression and the focused release of energy. Davis shows us an animal, a wild beast, but one harnessed in service to a larger entity: the University of Colorado. Further research into the university’s branding might tell us more.