History of the Society

On February 1, 1901 a group of nine artists and one advising businessman founded the Society with this credo: “The object of the Society shall be to promote generally the art of illustration and to hold exhibitions from time to time”. The first monthly dinners were attended by such prominent illustrators as Howard Pyle, Maxfield Parish, N.C. Wyeth, Charles Dana Gibson, Frederic Remington, James Montgomery Flagg, Howard Chandler Christy and special guests like Mark Twain and Gloria Swanson.

Charles Dana Gibson

James Montgomery Flagg's memorable poster

During the WWI years, Society members worked through the Division of Pictorial Publicity creating many original poster designs. Eight members, commissioned Captains in the Engineers, were sent to France to sketch the war. After the war, the Society operated the School for Disabled Soldiers. Member shows continued at prominent galleries.

In 1920 the Society was incorporated and women became full members. The 20’s and 30’s were the heydays of the Illustrator’s Shows. These theatrical skits featured the artists and their models as actors, songwriters, set designers and painters. Professional Talent such as the Cotton Club Band and Jimmy Durante also performed.

Through member Watson Barrett, the Illustrator's’ Show of 1925 was held at the Shubert Theatre and the Shuberts purchased the rights to the skits for their Broadway productions of “Artists and Models.” In time, those funds allowed the Society to acquire its present headquarters.

Shubert's

In August 1939, the Society moved into an 1875 carriage house, at 128 East 63rd Street. Norman Rockwell’s “Dover Coach” became the backdrop for the bar on the fourth floor. Today, this painting hangs in the Members Dining Room.

During WWII, the Society again contributed to the effort with a massive campaign of posters, illustrations and visits to veterans’ hospitals to sketch the wounded. These pictures were sent to families to help boost morale. The Illustrator's’ Jazz Band was formed to entertain the wounded. In 1946, a Welfare Fund for indigent artists was established. In 1948, the Joint Ethics Committee developed the first Code of Fair Practice. Lectures and demonstrations filled the house during those years.

Donald Moss

In 1954, the U.S. Air Force began sending members around the world to document its activities. This program continues today. Thousands of paintings have been contributed over the years.

The first Scholarship Fund was established in the early 50’s and, in 1959, Norman Rockwell became the first member elected to the Hall of Fame. That same year, the First Annual Exhibition, juried by Bob Peak, Bradbury Thompson and Stevan Dohanos, among others, opened with 350 original works of art and the first Illustrators Annual book.

The first Illustrators Annual book

“200 Years of American Illustration”

Other notable events include the filming of “Loving” (1969) with George Segal portraying a frustrated illustrator; the Warwick (NY) Training School for Boys Saturday school (1961-65); The Anti-war Show entitled “Genocide” (1972); The Bicentennial Show at the New-York Historical Society (1976-77); and the publication of the books “200 Years of American Illustration” and “The Illustrator in America”; outreach programs to the Police Athletic League (1966-present); NYC Parks Dept. and NYC Board of Education (1999-present); the donation to shelters and charities of over 6000 children's books (1992-present). 1981 saw the establishment of the Museum of American Illustration. Today the Permanent Collection includes over 2,500 works by such legendary artists as Rockwell, Pyle, Wyeth, Kent, Peak, Fuchs and Holland.

2001 was The Centennial Year . . . a twelve month celebration begun with the U.S. Postal issue: Great American Illustrators. That year was punctuated with the 9/11 Memorial Exhibition “Prevailing Human Spirit”.

© Michael Garland

The Society’s involvement in illustration, contributions to community service and student scholarship, annual exhibitions and recognition of the greats in the field of Illustration, welfare fund and stand on legal issues, sketch classes, lecture series and social gatherings prove our concern and commitment to support the field of illustration—past, present and future.