Sarah Stilwell Weber
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Sarah Stilwell Weber (1878 – April 6, 1939) was an American illustrator who studied at Drexel Institute under
Howard Pyle Howard Pyle (March 5, 1853 – November 9, 1911) was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. He was a native of Wilmington, Delaware, and he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy. In 1894, he began ...
. She illustrated books and national magazines, like ''
The Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely ...
'', ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
'', and ''
The Century Magazine ''The Century Magazine'' was an illustrated monthly magazine first published in the United States in 1881 by The Century Company of New York City, which had been bought in that year by Roswell Smith and renamed by him after the Century Associatio ...
''.


Early life

Sarah S. Stilwell was born in
Concordville, Pennsylvania Concordville is an unincorporated community in Concord Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located 20 miles west-southwest of Philadelphia, at the junction of U.S. Routes 1 and 322. This intersection can be traced b ...
. She was described affectionately by her nephews and nieces for her love of children and her positive, "self-effacing" and imaginative personality.


Education

In 1897, Weber attended Drexel Institute, where illustrator
Howard Pyle Howard Pyle (March 5, 1853 – November 9, 1911) was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. He was a native of Wilmington, Delaware, and he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy. In 1894, he began ...
was an innovative and popular teacher. Pyle, as a result, could be selective about the students that he admitted to his classes. He wrote
Edward Penfield Edward Penfield (June 2, 1866 – February 8, 1925) was an American illustrator in the era known as the "Golden Age of American Illustration" and he is considered the father of the American poster. His work has been included in almost every majo ...
, who was his friend and the art director at '' Harper's Bazaar'' that he required his students to have strong abilities in color and drawing, artistic ability, and imagination. If they did not excel in each of these areas, he would not accept them as a student. Drexel Institute established a scholarship fund for Pyle's most accomplished students to attend an art program at Chadd’s Ford on the Brandywine. In 1899, Weber won a scholarship for a summer residential art program in a non-competitive, relaxed environment. Of that summer's program, Pyle said that his students benefited from the natural, relaxed setting that allowed them to progress more as artists in a couple of months than they would have in a year of classroom study. ''The Saturday Evening Post'' stated that " ny of the
Brandywine School The Brandywine School was a style of illustration—as well as an artists colony in Wilmington, Delaware and in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, near the Brandywine River—both founded by artist Howard Pyle (1853–1911) at the end of the 19th centu ...
artists had a flair for capturing grace and detail of the Victorian Era yet not letting decoration and detail overwhelm the subject matter." Weber was one of Pyle's favorite students. She was among the first artists to live at his studio in Wilmington, Delaware in 1900. Others included Stanley Arthurs, Ethel Franklin Betts,
Frank Schoonover Frank Earle Schoonover (August 19, 1877 – September 1, 1972) was an American illustrator who worked in Wilmington, Delaware. A member of the Brandywine School, he was a contributing illustrator to magazines and did more than 5,000 paintin ...
, and Dorothy Warren. Pyle recommended that Weber focus on her life as an artist, rather than marry. Pyle helped her market her work in New York, as he did with other of his top students.


Career

She was a member of The Plastic Club, which was founded in 1897 by Elizabeth Shippen Green,
Violet Oakley Violet Oakley (June 10, 1874 – February 25, 1961) was an American artist. She was the first American woman to receive a public mural commission. During the first quarter of the twentieth century, she was renowned as a pathbreaker in mural dec ...
, and
Jessie Willcox Smith Jessie Willcox Smith (September 6, 1863 – May 3, 1935) was an American illustrator during the Golden Age of American illustration. She was considered "one of the greatest pure illustrators". A contributor to books and magazines during the lat ...
and was initially formed a women's art association for the promotion and exhibition of visual (plastic) arts. Weber illustrated Josephine Daskam's article "A Christmas Hymn for Children", which was printed in the December 1902 issue of ''
The Century Magazine ''The Century Magazine'' was an illustrated monthly magazine first published in the United States in 1881 by The Century Company of New York City, which had been bought in that year by Roswell Smith and renamed by him after the Century Associatio ...
.'' In 1904, ''The Saturday Evening Post'' began hiring women to illustrate the covers of their magazine. Weber illustrated 60 of the magazine's covers starting with ''New Year’s Number, 1904'' on December 31, 1904 and ending with ''Swinging in the Apple Tree'' on the August 15, 1925 issue. Although she had been offered the ability to contract for scheduled covers, Weber preferred to complete her works to her satisfaction, rather than being constrained by deadlines. She created illustrations of young children, capturing their enthusiastic and delighted faces while playing. ''The Saturday Evening Post'' stated that she was "particularly adept at creating movement and flow that gave the impression of coming and going... ndthat the subject would dance off the page in the next moment." The images of young girls were often depicted like little women, engaged in charming scenes, like flying kites, watering roses, or cuddling cats. Weber was one of several talented illustrators—like J. C. Leyendecker,
Neysa McMein Neysa Moran McMein (born Marjorie Frances McMein; January 24, 1888 – May 12, 1949) was an American illustrator and portrait painter who studied at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago and Art Students League of New York. She began her ca ...
, Anita Parkhurst, C. Coles Phillips and
Cushman Parker Cushman may refer to: * Cushman (name) *Cushman (company) Cushman is a manufacturer of industrial, personal, and custom vehicles. It is based in Augusta, Georgia, United States, and is owned by Textron. History The Cushman scooter company st ...
—created illustrations of the weekly magazine, which in the early 20th century was limited to a two-color printing process. Weber also created covers for ''The Country Gentleman'' and ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
'' magazine. She also illustrated articles and covers for ''Harper's Bazaar'', ''Collier's,'' and '' St. Nicholas Magazines''. Weber illustrated advertisements for Rit Dyes,
Scranton Lace Company The Scranton Lace Company, also known as the Scranton Lace Curtain Company and Scranton Lace Curtain Manufacturing Company, was an American lace manufacturer in Scranton, Pennsylvania. History The company was established by the Scranton Board of ...
,
Wamsutta Mills Wamsutta Mills is a former textile manufacturing company and current brand for bedding and other household products. Founded by Thomas Bennett, Jr. on the banks of the Acushnet River in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1846 and opened in 1848, Wam ...
and H-O Oats. Weber collaborated with Herbert, her husband, on ''The Musical Tree''. Herbert wrote the poems and music and Sara created the illustrations for the children's book. By 1921, she had created a series of illustrations called ''Kiddie Kars'', which at that time were owned by H. C. White Company. Her full-page color illustrations were published in ''The Kiddie-Kar Book'', in which the verses were written by Richard J. Walsh. In 1910, ''The New York Times'' published an article "A Latter-Day Industry and Its Rewards: How a Group of Illustrators is Making Fortunes by Drawing Pictures of the 'Modern Woman'" in which Weber was estimated to be tied for the second highest paid woman illustrator with Elizabeth Shippen Green, each estimated to make US$10,000 per year (estimated ). Jessie Willcox Smith was said to be the highest paid women illustrator, making $15,000 in 1910. One magazine editor stated that the women's income was on the same level as a Supreme Court Justice. They had their own distinctive style and portrayed children from a woman's perspective. Along with Ethel Franklin Betts and
Jessie Willcox Smith Jessie Willcox Smith (September 6, 1863 – May 3, 1935) was an American illustrator during the Golden Age of American illustration. She was considered "one of the greatest pure illustrators". A contributor to books and magazines during the lat ...
, Weber was one of the best known magazine and book illustrators in the early 20th century. She, Anita Parkhurst, and Jessie Willcox Smith were among a group of woman artists—with
Lucile Patterson Marsh Lucile Patterson Marsh, also spelled as Lucille Patterson Marsh, (1890–1978) was a prominent illustrator during the 1920s to 1950s. She illustrated numerous covers for magazines including, '' Woman's Home Companion'' and ''Cosmopolitan''. Marsh ...
and Ruth Eastman—to have had distinctive careers as illustrators.


Death

Sarah Stilwell Weber died at her Philadelphia home in April 1939. In 1975 her works were included in a 90 painting exhibition entitled "Women Illustrators in the Howard Pyle Tradition" held at the
Brandywine River Museum The Brandywine Museum of Art is a museum of regional and American art located on U.S. Route 1 in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania on the banks of the Brandywine Creek. The museum showcases the work of Andrew Wyeth, a major American realist painter, an ...
from September through November. Other artists included
Violet Oakley Violet Oakley (June 10, 1874 – February 25, 1961) was an American artist. She was the first American woman to receive a public mural commission. During the first quarter of the twentieth century, she was renowned as a pathbreaker in mural dec ...
, Elizabeth Shippen Green,
Jessie Willcox Smith Jessie Willcox Smith (September 6, 1863 – May 3, 1935) was an American illustrator during the Golden Age of American illustration. She was considered "one of the greatest pure illustrators". A contributor to books and magazines during the lat ...
,
Alice Barber Stephens Alice Barber Stephens (July 1, 1858 – July 13, 1932) was an American painter and engraver, best remembered for her illustrations. Her work regularly appeared in magazines such as ''Scribner's Monthly'', ''Harper's Weekly'', and ''The Ladies Ho ...
, Elenore Plaisted Abbott,
Anna Whelan Betts Anna Whelan Betts (May 15, 1873 – February 6, 1959) was an American illustrator and art teacher who was noted for her paintings of Victorian women in romantic settings. Betts is considered one of the primary artists of the golden age of Ame ...
, Ethel Franklin Betts, Elizabeth F. Bonsall, Charlotte Harding,
Olive Rush Olive Rush (June 10, 1873 near Fairmount, Indiana – August 20, 1966 in Santa Fe, New Mexico) was a painter, illustrator, muralist, and an important pioneer in Native American art education. Her paintings are held in a number of private colle ...
, and
Katharine Pyle Katharine Pyle (November 23, 1863 – February 19, 1938) was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people, an influential member of the Pyle artistic family, active in Philadelphia during the late 19th and early 20th ce ...
. From January 27-February 21, 2014, an exhibition of her work and nine other artists were exhibited at "Women Illustrators in the Golden Age of Illustration, 1880-1920" at the Barrett Art Gallery in Utica College, New York. The original works exhibited were from the Jay Williams American Print Collection. The other illustrators were Jessie Willcox Smith, Alice Barber Stephens,
May Wilson Preston Mary (May) Wilson Watkins Preston (18731949) was an American illustrator of books and magazines and an impressionist painter. She had an interest in art beginning in her teenage years, but her parents sent her to Oberlin College hoping that sh ...
, Violet Oakley, Elizabeth Shippen Green, Mary Hallock Foote,
Maginel Wright Enright Maginel Wright Enright Barney (June 19, 1877 – April 18, 1966) was an American children's book illustrator and graphic artist. She was the younger sister of Frank Lloyd Wright, architect, and the mother of Elizabeth Enright, children's book wri ...
,
Florence Scovel Shinn Florence Scovel Shinn (September 24, 1871 in Camden, New Jersey – October 17, 1940) was an American artist and book illustrator who became a New Thought spiritual teacher and metaphysical writer in her middle years.Gatlin, Linda; Edwards, Rita"P ...
, and Anna Whelan Betts.


Collections

*
Brandywine River Museum The Brandywine Museum of Art is a museum of regional and American art located on U.S. Route 1 in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania on the banks of the Brandywine Creek. The museum showcases the work of Andrew Wyeth, a major American realist painter, an ...
- ''Fairy Godmother'', illustration for Edith B. Sturgis' "The Child in Fairyland", published in ''Scribner's,'' December 1907 *
Delaware Art Museum The Delaware Art Museum is an art museum located on the Kentmere Parkway in Wilmington, Delaware, which holds a collection of more than 12,000 objects. The museum was founded in 1912 as the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts in honor of the artis ...
- ''Vogue'' magazine cover, *
Dodd, Mead and Company Dodd, Mead and Company was one of the pioneer publishing houses of the United States, based in New York City. Under several names, the firm operated from 1839 until 1990. History Origins In 1839, Moses Woodruff Dodd (1813–1899) and John S. Ta ...
- ''A New Day,'' 1905 * The Kelly Collection - ''Lady with Leopards,'' printed on ''Collier's'', March 17, 1906 issue *
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...
Division of Prints and Photographs - illustration of Josephine Daskin's article "A Christmas Hymn for Children", which was printed in ''
The Century Magazine ''The Century Magazine'' was an illustrated monthly magazine first published in the United States in 1881 by The Century Company of New York City, which had been bought in that year by Roswell Smith and renamed by him after the Century Associatio ...
'' December 1902 issue * National Museum of American Illustration


Published works

* * * * , primary school book * , primary school book * * * , illustrated children's song book


Gallery

File:Sarah Stilwell Weber, Happy Days, pen and ink, book title page, 1902.jpg, Happy Days, pen and ink, book title page, 1902 File:Sarah Stilwell Weber, Rhymes and Jingles book cover, 1904.jpg, ''Rhymes and Jingles,'' book cover design, 1904 File:Sarah S. Stilwell Weber, Love at First Sight, Associated Sunday Magazine cover October 8, 1905 issue.jpg, "Love at First Sight", ''Associated Sunday Magazine'' cover October 8, 1905 issue File:Sarah Stilwell Weber, Collier's cover, 1911.jpg, ''Collier's'' cover, 1911


Notes


References


Further reading

*


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Weber, Sarah Stilwell 1878 births 1939 deaths American women illustrators Drexel University alumni American magazine illustrators American children's book illustrators People from Delaware County, Pennsylvania