David Stone Martin: The Poet of Line David Stone Martin (June 13, 1913 – March 6, 1992) stands as a singular figure in American illustration—a master craftsman whose distinctive style captivated audiences and cemented his legacy as one of jazz’s most enduring visual interpreters. Born David Livingstone Martin in Chicago, he possessed an innate artistic sensibility nurtured by formative experiences during the Great Depression and honed through rigorous study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where he was profoundly impacted by the stark realism of Ben Shahn. This influence would p…