John Ford Clymer (1907-1989), Homeward Bound, Children with Rowboat, The Saturday Evening Post cover, (October 31, 1953)

John Ford Clymer (American, 1907-1989) Homeward Bound, Children with Rowboat, The Saturday Evening Post cover, October 31, 1953 Oil on board 34 x 27 inches (86.4 x 68.6 cm) Signed lower left Property from an Important American Illustration Art Collection. The consignor of this lot will donate partial proceeds up to 20% of the hammer price to the Salvation Army in dedication to Ed Jaster. Internationally acclaimed and celebrated Western artist, John Ford Clymer started his six-decade long career as an illustrator. Attending Howard Pyle's school in Delaware and the Grand Station School, the young artist quickly gained mentors such as Harvey Dunn, N.C. Wyeth, Dean Cornwell, and Frank Schoonover. These fellow illustrators played a significant role in shaping Clymer's artistic style and approach. In his own words, Clymer once stated, "I went down the road of illustration and those people were my gods." Clymer quickly rose to the top of the illustration world having his artwork featured as the cover of over 80 issues of The Saturday Evening Post from 1942 to 1962 including the present work, Children with Rowboat. This places the artist just after iconic illustrators Norman Rockwell and Joseph Christian as one of the most prolific cover artists for the magazine. Clymer's illustrations for the magazine captured the essence of American life, often depicting scenes of rural America with meticulous attention to detail and a sense of nostalgia which would later carry over to his historical western fine art. In Children with Rowboat, the Clymer masterfully captures the attention and imagination of the viewer with a layered composition anchored by the American landscape and childhood nostalgia. These two driving forces make this example a perfect cover for The Saturday Evening Post. HID09710052018 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

Condition Report: Under UV exam, there appears to be a few scattered spots of inpaint in the sky, as well as a small 1.5 inch area of reinforcement to the water at center. Minor frame abrasion. Framed Dimensions 42 X 35 Inches