Howard Chandler Christy

Art Brokerage: Howard Chandler Christy American Artist: b. 1873-1952. Howard Chandler Christy (January 10, 1873 – March 3, 1952) was an American artist and illustrator famous for the "Christy Girl", similar to a "Gibson Girl". He was born in Morgan County and attended early school in Duncan Falls, Ohio. He then studied in New York at the National Academy and the Art Students League under William Merritt Chase. He later moved to the town of New Rochelle, New York, a popular art colony among famous artists and illustrators of the period such as Frank and J.C. Leyendecker, and Norman Rockwell. Having made his reputation for his work as a combat artist and in support of America's World War One effort, Christy soon was illustrating for numerous magazine covers. He became famous for the "Christy Girl", a picturesque and romantic type of society women peculiarly his own. His work, whether in watercolor, oils, or pen-and-ink, is characterized by great facility, a dashing but not exaggerated style and a strong sense of values. Together with fellow artists Harrison Fisher and Neysa McMein he constituted the Motion Picture Classic magazine's "Fame and Fortune" contest jury of 1921–22, who discovered the It-girl, Clara Bow. In 1940, he painted the Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States, which was installed in the House of Representatives wing in the United States Capitol. Some of his work, newly cleaned, is on display at the The Leopard at des Artistes restaurant, the successor to the legendary New York City restaurant Café des Artistes. They include six panels of wood nymphs and paintings such as The Parrot Girl, The Swing Girl, Ponce De Leon, Fall, Spring and the Fountain of Youth. Another Christy painting has been displayed at the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center. The Zanesville Museum of Art in Zanesville, Ohio, has on permanent display Christy's Portrait of Dorothy Barton Thomas, with other Christy posters, prints and paintings in their collection. In the early 1930s he met Elise Ford who became his model for the murals on Cafe des Artistes wall. Forty years his junior, she became his companion until his death at age 80. Listings wanted.