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Edward Penfield - Collier’s, the national weekly, the first tee
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Edward Penfield

Edward Penfield 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 major book on American Illustration or the history of the poster. He is also a major figure in the evolution of graphic design.

He was born June 2, 1866 in Brooklyn, New York to Ellen Lock Moore and Josiah B. Penfield. He first studied at New York's Art Students League. He worked under George de Forest Brush, who was known for his romantic scenes of American Indian life. He first worked for Harper's Weekly and later became art director. He developed his own unique style of simplified figures with bold outlines in settings free of extraneous detail. He believed, "A design that needs study is not a poster, no matter how well executed." He wrote and published a book titled Holland Sketches, which was published by Scribner's in 1907.

Penfield lived in New Rochelle, New York, a popular art colony among actors, writers and artists of the period. The community was most well known for its unprecedented number of prominent American illustrators. He was one of the founding members of the New Rochelle Art Association which was organized in 1912.

His posters were bold and stood out from a distance with great clarity. As artists like Alphonse Mucha, Théophile Steinlen and Toulouse-Lautrec popularized the poster in Europe, Penfield accomplished the same feat in the United States. For his posters, Penfield utilized simple shapes and a limited palette of colors that lent themselves to the primitive methods of reproduction of the era.

More Artworks by Edward Penfield (View all 204 Artworks)

The Spanish American war in its political naval & military aspects by Senator Lodge, begins in Harper’s February

The Spanish American war in its political naval & military aspects by Senator Lodge, begins in Harper’s February (1890)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Man and woman sit in a crowded café looking over a crowd with the man pointing with a cane

Man and woman sit in a crowded café looking over a crowd with the man pointing with a cane (1890-1920)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Harper’s February

Harper’s February (1894)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Harper’s weekly, a journal of civilization

Harper’s weekly, a journal of civilization (1900)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Golfer seated by clubs

Golfer seated by clubs (1899)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Harper’s October

Harper’s October (1890-1907)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
A Kodak Christmas

A Kodak Christmas (1890-1907)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Cadet days, a story of West Point by Capt. Charles King

Cadet days, a story of West Point by Capt. Charles King (1894)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Country House calendar 1905

Country House calendar 1905 (1904)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Harper’s June

Harper’s June (1895)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Harper’s January

Harper’s January (1893)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Princeton

Princeton (1907)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Collier’s, the national. The house of devils.

Collier’s, the national. The house of devils. (1913)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Collier’s, Industrial Number

Collier’s, Industrial Number (1901)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
Harper’s Nov’B’R

Harper’s Nov’B’R (1898)

Edward Penfield (American, 1866 - 1925)
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