Art

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun
NY Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

ILLUSTRATING HISTORY


The exhibit Teacher and Student displays works by Howard Pyle and Jessie Willcox Smith, artists from the “golden age” of American illustrative arts. Pyle (1853-1911), who is known as the father of American illustration, influenced a generation of students with his revolutionary style. He used dynamic angles and captured scenes happening in mid-action, a stark departure from the dry and stagey setups of old-fashioned illustrations. His 1907 illustration for Harper’s Monthly, “The Ruby of Kishmoor,” is seen above. Smith (1863-1935) was his student at the Drexel Institute, and she went on to prolific success as a professional illustrator. She illustrated every cover of Good Housekeeping between 1918 and 1932, along with covers for Collier’s and Ladies’ Home Journal; advertisements for Cream of Wheat, Ivory Soap, and the Red Cross, and children’s book illustrations for “The Little Mother Goose,” “Little Women,” and “Heidi.” She and two other students of Pyle lived together on a 200-acre estate, sharing housing and expenses and creating a close-knit environment of artistic collaboration that was unusual for women at the time. Pyle, Smith, and several others in their circle are known as the Brandywine School, and works by several Brandywine artists are also on view in the exhibit, including N.C. Wyeth, Elizabeth Shippen Green (who lived with Smith), and J.C. Leyendecker.


Through Tuesday, August 31, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and by appointment, American Illustrators Gallery, 18 E. 77th St., between Madison and Fifth avenues, suite 1A, 212-744-5190, free.

NY Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.


The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use