illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complic ...

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington (Unami language, Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North ...

Oxford, New Jersey Oxford is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Oxford Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States, that was created as part of the 2010 United States Census. He studied 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 ...

at the

Drexel Institute Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Ar ...

in Philadelphia.

Career

Schoonover became part of what would be known as the Brandywine School. A prolific contributor to books and magazines during the early twentieth century, the so-called "Golden Age of Illustration", he illustrated stories as diverse as Clarence Mulford's ''

Hopalong Cassidy Hopalong Cassidy is a fictional cowboy hero created in 1904 by the author Clarence E. Mulford, who wrote a series of short stories and novels based on the character. Mulford portrayed the character as rude, dangerous, and rough-talking. He wa ...

'' stories and

Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, ...

's ''

A Princess of Mars ''A Princess of Mars'' is a science fantasy novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first of his Barsoom series. It was first serialized in the pulp magazine ''All-Story Magazine'' from February–July, 1912. Full of swordplay and dari ...

''. In 1918 and 1919, he produced a series of paintings along with Gayle Porter Hoskins illustrating the American forces in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

for a series of souvenir prints published in the ''

Ladies Home Journal ''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States. In ...

''. Over the course of his career, he did more than 5,000 paintings. Schoonover helped to organize what is now the

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 ...

and was chairman of the fundraising committee charged with acquiring works by

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 ...

. In his later years he restored paintings including some by Pyle and turned to easel paintings of the Brandywine and

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...

landscapes. He also gave art lessons, established a small art school in his

studio A studio is an artist or worker's workroom. This can be for the purpose of acting, architecture, painting, pottery (ceramics), sculpture, origami, woodworking, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, industrial design ...

, designed stained glass windows, and dabbled in science fiction art (illustrating

Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, ...

’ ''

A Princess of Mars ''A Princess of Mars'' is a science fantasy novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first of his Barsoom series. It was first serialized in the pulp magazine ''All-Story Magazine'' from February–July, 1912. Full of swordplay and dari ...

''), he was known locally as the “Dean of Delaware Artists.”

Death

Schoonover died on September 1, 1972 in Wilmington, Delaware, at 95.

Alvin York painting

Schoonover’s name received national attention in 2011 when his painting of World War I hero

Alvin C. York Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known as Sergeant York, was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machin ...

was returned to York’s home state of Tennessee. Businessman and philanthropist Allan Jones of

Cleveland, Tennessee Cleveland is the county seat of and largest city in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 47,356 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Cleveland metropolitan area, Tennessee (consisting of Bradley and neig ...

purchased the painting on

Veteran’s Day Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces (who were discharged under conditions other than di ...

from the Blakeslee Gallery in

Wellington, Florida Wellington is a village just west of West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County and north of Miami. As of 2019, the city had a population of 65,398 according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, making it the most populous village in the state. It is th ...

. Jones said, "When I learned that Mr. Blakeslee would consider selling the painting to the right buyer, I felt it was essential to bring this piece back to its rightful home in Tennessee and have the painting here on Veterans Day 11-11-11." Prior to being acquired by Jones, the painting was on loan to the 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum. File:Hopalong-Takes-Command.jpg, ''Hopalong Takes Command'', 1905. Oil on canvas File:Princess of Mars large.jpg, Cover illustration of

Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, ...

's ''A Princess of Mars'', 1917 File:Blackbeard, Buccaneer - Cover (level).jpg, Cover of ''Blackbeard, Buccaneer'', 1922 File:Schoonover Hans Brinker 1924.JPG, ''

Hans Brinker Hans may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Hans (name), a masculine given name * Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician ** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans ** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi a ...

''

References

Sources

* Laurence S Cutler; Judy Goffman Cutler;

National Museum of American Illustration The National Museum of American Illustration (NMAI), founded in 1998, is the first national museum to be devoted exclusively to American illustration artwork. The NMAI is located on Newport, Rhode Island's historic Bellevue Avenue in the mansion Ve ...

. ''Maxfield Parrish and the American Imagists''. Edison, NJ: Wellfleet Press, 2004. ; * Harrington, Peter, "Images of the Great War," ''American History'', Vol. XXXI, No. 5, Nov-Dec. 1996, pp. 30–36, 64 * Harrington, Peter, "The Great War Paintings of Frank E. Schoonover," ''Military Heritage'', No. 1, August 1999, pp. 66–69.

External links

Bud Plant's BiographyFrank Schoonover fundSchoonover StudiosThe National Museum of American IllustrationDelaware Art Museum
* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Schoonover, Frank 1877 births 1972 deaths American people of German descent Drexel University alumni 19th-century American painters 19th-century American male artists American male painters 20th-century American painters People from Warren County, New Jersey Artists from Wilmington, Delaware Painters from New Jersey Painters from Delaware 20th-century American male artists

Early life

Career

Death

Alvin York painting

See also

References

Sources

External links