George Matthews Harding

George Matthews Harding (1882–1959) was an American painter, author-illustrator, and a muralist. He served as an official war artist during World War I and World War II.

Life and career

George Matthews Harding was born in Philadelphia. At first, he studied architecture at Boston Tech. His final choice of careers was influenced by his older sister Charlotte Harding, who had studied art at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Charlotte encouraged him to attend the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He attended the academy at night and worked as an architect during the day. Following an introduction by his sister, Harding, like some other future AEF artists, studied for a time with Howard Pyle.Alfred Emile Cornebise
''Art from the Trenches: America's Uniformed Artists in World War I''
College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1991.

Harding's first illustrations appeared in the ''Saturday Evening Post'' in 1903, and in 1906 he became an illustrator and author for ''Harper's Monthly Magazine''. While ''with Harper's'' he traveled extensively throughout the United States and the world. In 1915 he joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania as an associate professor in the department of fine arts, a post he held until 1935. He married Anita Cotheal Nisbett of Ardmore on June 5, 1916, and they had two children. Until 1917, he continued his international travels writing and illustrating articles for the ''Saturday Evening Post'' and ''Harper's Magazine.''

When the United States entered World War I, he was chosen as one of eight combat artists attached to the American Expeditionary Forces in France.Joseph S. Kennedy
Murals trace Montco history: Artist George M. Harding's notes offer insight on his approach
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', October 21, 2001
Archive
/ref> He began his artistic service as a member of the poster section of the U.S. Navy Publicity Bureau, and from there he was selected for the Army's Art program. Much of the work he produced during the war reflects his attempts to satisfy critics in Washington who wanted to see more action scenes.

After World War I, Harding returned to his painting and teaching in Philadelphia, publishing a limited-edition portfolio of some of his war art entitled ''The American Expeditionary Forces in Action,'' and established his own studio and home in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. While Harding produced his first mural for the Traymore Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1915, he gained much wider reputation as a muralist in the interwar period. He created murals for Post Office Department in Washington, D.C., post offices in Philadelphia and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, among others.

In 1942, at age 60, he accepted a commission with the U.S. Marine Corps as a combat artist in its campaigns in the Pacific during World War II. This time, he served as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps.

His work was included in a few major group shows including "American Battle Painting 1776-1918" in 1944 and "Marines Under Fire" in 1943. Both were at New York's MOMA. In 1957 the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts would have a retrospective exhibition of his work. In February 1959, his work was part of a three-man show at Lehigh University with Schilli Maier and Benton Spruance hosted by Professor Francis Quirk.

After the war, he produced a series of murals for the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

He died in 1959 after suffering a stroke a year before.

Recognition

In 1940, Harding was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate member, and became a full Academician in 1945. He was also elected to the Society of Mural Painters. He was the only AEF artist who served in both world wars.

See also

* United States Army Art Program

File:Traffic To Mont-St. Pere by George Matthews Harding.jpg, Traffic To Mont-St. Pere
File:American gun fire, early morning, opening of Verdun offensive.jpg, American gun fire, opening of Verdun offensive
File:Boche Plane Falling in No Man's Land of Verdun Offensive by George Matthews Harding.jpg, Boche Plane Falling in No Man's Land of Verdun Offensive
File:American troops entering a village in pursuit of the enemy during the advance across the Marne, July 13, 1918.jpg, American troops entering a village
File:American wounded making way to first aid station in the Village of Marne during German attack.jpg, American wounded making way to first aid station
File:Between shells at Chateau Thierry by George Harding.jpg, Between shells at Chateau Thierry
File:Traffic to Mont St. Pere by George Harding.jpg, Traffic to Mont St. Pere
File:During Verdun drive a German plane got two Allied balloons in less than a minute.jpg, German plane shooting two Allied balloons

References

*

External links

Works by George Matthews Harding at the National Museum of American History
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Harding, George Matthews
United States Army artists
1882 births
1959 deaths
Artists from Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts alumni
University of Pennsylvania faculty
World War I artists