George Matthews Harding
Encyclopedia
George Matthews Harding (1882-1959) was a war artist
for the United States Army
during World War I
.
.) After Harding spent a brief period studying architecture at Boston Tech, his sister encouraged him to attend the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He attended the academy at night and worked as an architect during the day. Following an introduction by his sister, Harding, like other future AEF
artists, studied for a time with Howard Pyle.
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 began his World War I service as a member of the poster committee of the U.S. Navy Recruiting Service, and from there he was selected for the Army's 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 the war 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. In World War II he once again became a war artist, this time as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps.
War artist
A war artist depicts some aspect of war through art; this might be a pictorial record or it might commemorate how "war shapes lives." War artists have explored a visual and sensory dimension of war which is often absent in written histories or other accounts of warfare.- Definition and context:A...
for the United States Army
United States Army Art Program
The U.S. Army Art Program or United States Army Combat Art Program is a program created by the United States Army to create artwork for museums and other programs sponsored by the US Army...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Biography
George Matthews Harding was born in Philadelphia, where his choice of careers was influenced by his older sister Charlotte. (She had studied art at the Pennsylvania School of Design for Women at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and with Howard PyleHoward Pyle
Howard Pyle was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy.__FORCETOC__...
.) After Harding spent a brief period studying architecture at Boston Tech, his sister encouraged him to attend the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He attended the academy at night and worked as an architect during the day. Following an introduction by his sister, Harding, like other future AEF
AEF
AEF is a three-letter acronym which may refer to:* Aboriginal Evangelical Fellowship, Australia* Afrique Équatoriale Française or French Equatorial Africa* Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation* Air Experience Flight* Alameda Education Foundation...
artists, studied for a time with Howard Pyle.
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
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
. 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
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
as an associate professor in the department of fine arts, a post he held until 1935.
He began his World War I service as a member of the poster committee of the U.S. Navy Recruiting Service, and from there he was selected for the Army's 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 the war 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. In World War II he once again became a war artist, this time as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps.