Accession Number
2016/2.208

Title
Cummins Engine

Artist(s)
Paul Rand

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1973

Medium & Support
offset lithograph on paper

Dimensions
36 in x 24 in (91.44 cm x 60.96 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Franc Nunoo-Quarcoo and Maria Phillips

Subject matter
Cummins was one of Paul Rand’s most reliable customers. As a truck and tractor engine company, the logo of the product was not always apparent because the engine was under the hood of the car. As a result, Cummin’s president, Irwin Miller,  wanted the full name of the company in the logo. Rand’s solution was to incorporate the name diagonally across the large “C” in letters outlined in white. In this iteration of the company’s logo, Rand fills the “C” with various international flags. The poster references the international prestige of the company. It is presumed that the logo is now so recognizable that the name no longer needs to be as visible as it once was.

EC 2017

Physical Description
A black background with a large 'C' in its center, built from an arrangement of various international flags. Across the upper half of the C is 'Cummins', spelled in letters outlined in white.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
flags
graphic design