Figure 1.-- Leslie Thrasher (1889-1936) is an wonderful illustrator who is best knowm for his magazine covers in an era before television and the intenet in which magazins were very important in the public fora. Trasher did some 360 magazine covers, more than any other single illustrator. Most were for 'Liberty Magzine'. Many wee bout children and the girls uncommonly were often the srongest character such as this 1931 cover. .

Leslie Thrasher (1889-1936) is an wonderful illustrator, one of the most important American illstrators. He was active during the period before television, let alone the intenet when the public was starved for images. This was partially solved by the lithographic advances allowing photographs to be published in newspaper and magazines (turn-of-the 20th century). There was still a huge market for illustrators. This was the era of mass-market magazines. Leslie was born Piedmont, West Virginia (1889). This was in the Allegheny Mountains some 150 miles west of Washington, DC. As an older teenager Leslie studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He then obtaineda a scholarship to study in Paris at the Ecole de Grande Chaumiere.After returning from his studies in France, Thrasher settled in Wilmington, Delaware (1910). Here he studied under respected illustrator Howard Pyle, often referred to as the 'father of American Illustration'. Thrasher would become Pyle's most renounded student. He began by selling his first cover illustration to the Saturday Evening Post. The 'Post' was renounded for its covers, and illustrators creating covers were the instantly at the top of the industry and Trasher began his career wih a 'Post' cover. The 'Post' was renounded for its covers, and illustrators creating covers were the instantly at the top of the industry and Trasher began his career wih a 'Post' cover. His career was prefectly timed. Lithography was perfected at the turn of the 20th century and leading to the Golden Age of illustrators and magazines. World War I interrupted his studies and he served in the War. He was seriously injured in a poison gas which affected his health for the rest of his life, but fortunately not his sunny disposition. He returned home to America, married, and moved to Long Island to pursue his career.Thrasher is best known for his magazine covers in an era before television and the intenet in which magazins were very important in the public fora. Trasher did some 360 magazine covers, more than any other single illustrator. Many were for Liberty Magzine, but he also did several for the Saturday Evening Post. Both were very important publications in the inter-War Era. . He sold his first civer (1912). Two very important themes for his work according to Saturday Evening Post were boys and horses. We would disagree, netter said we would say were children and horses. In fact, he did some delightul images of girls of girls getting the upper hand ovr the boys--an early touch of feminism by male illustrator. His covers were similar to J.C. Leyendecker who loved to bring out comic elements in the lives of young and old.

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Created: 12:58 AM 10/25/2021
Last updated: 12:58 AM 10/25/2021