Leslie Thrasher

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Leslie Thrasher
Tipping the Scales – Thrasher's famous cover picture
Born
Charles Leslie Thrasher

September 15, 1889
Piedmont, West Virginia
DiedDecember 2, 1936(1936-12-02) (aged 47)
Port Jefferson, New York
NationalityAmerican
Occupationillustrator
Years active1907–1936

Charles Leslie Thrasher (September 15, 1889 – December 2, 1936) was an American illustrator best known for his magazine covers for

Saturday Evening Post
.

Biography

Thrasher was born in

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts[2] and became a commercial artist at age 17.[1] After graduating, he earned a scholarship to Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris.[2] When he returned to the United States, he became a student of Howard Pyle.[2][3] Thrasher's work first appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post in 1912,[4] for which he eventually did twenty-three covers.[2] During the First World War, he enlisted in the 40th Engineer Battalion. He was sent to France, where he partook in camouflage work.[5] His lungs were severely damaged during a poison gas attack.[6] Returning to the United States after the war, he married his wife Janet (née Jackson) at St. Stephen's in New York City in 1920, and settled in Long Island.[1][2] He was hired in 1924 to create a series of covers for the then-new Liberty magazine, for $1000 per week.[3] According to American Illustration's project on Leslie Thrasher, "in 1926, against the advice of fellow artist Norman Rockwell, he agreed to complete a cover a week for Liberty Magazine over a six year period."[7] His contract with Liberty was terminated in 1932[4] because of declining circulation; Thrasher had created 360 covers for the publication.[8]

A house fire occurred at Thrasher's residence in

John T. Mather Memorial Hospital,[5] where he was treated for severe smoke inhalation.[2] He developed pneumonia and died at the hospital on December 2, 1936.[5][6][1] The same fire destroyed much of Thrasher's work.[2]

Thrasher had one daughter, Audrey.[5]

Style and legacy

Thrasher was a realist painter, often compared to Norman Rockwell.[4] He is usually considered inferior to Rockwell, but it is noted that he had less time to develop his art.[4] While Rockwell's backgrounds were highly detailed, Thrasher's backgrounds were simply set on white.[6][2] Nonetheless, Thrasher is occasionally mistaken for Rockwell, in particular the piece "Tipping the Scales", which appeared on the Saturday Evening Post in October 1936.[6][2]

Thrasher's most popular series of covers was created for Liberty and named "For the Love o' Lil."[3] Lil represented a typical (if unusually attractive) middle-class woman, and the covers represented her "life" from young womanhood to middle age.[8] "Storylines" for Lil were often suggested by readers.[4] In 1930, a movie was made featuring Thrasher's character,[4] and a radio show for the character was also produced.[8]

In addition to his magazine cover illustrations, his work was featured prominently in advertisements for

Fisk Tire Company.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "C. L. Thrasher, Artist, Dies After Rescue". New York Times. December 3, 1936. p. 25.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Denny, Diana (October 7, 2011). "Classic Covers: Leslie Thrasher". Saturday Evening Post. Saturday Evening Post Society. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  3. ^
    ISBN 9780764920172
    .
  4. ^
    ISBN 9780313077470
    .
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Artist Braves Fire to Rescue Couple". New York Times. December 2, 1936. p. 29.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Leslie Thrasher 1889 – 1936". National Museum of American Illustration. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  7. ^ sarabliss. "Leslie Thrasher". National Museum of American Illustration. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  8. ^
    ISBN 9780313335228
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leslie_Thrasher&oldid=1087836798"