"Men Holding up a Box" Lot no. 177
By Earl Blossom 1841-1970
25.00" x 18.75"
Goache on Board
Signed Lower Right
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Story Illustration
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ABOUT THE ARTIST
Earl Blossom had no formal art instruction, but received his training in the practical school of advertising. Some of his early work included drawings for men’s fashions, newspaper illustration for the Chicago American, and a stint as a bull-pen artist in the Charles Daniel Frey in Chicago.
Many of the large advertising agencies were getting started in the ‘twenties, and Blossom worked at one time or another for most of them. He also spent some time promoting the land boom in Florida; he wrote and illustrated full-page advertisement for Boca Raton real estate.
Blossom had known Pete Martin earlier Chicago and under his art direction at The Saturday Evening Post, Blossom began to do fiction illustration. He was not entirely happy at the Post, however, where “everyone was supposed to imitate Arthur William Brown,” and when Martin left the Post, Blossom switched to Collier’s magazine.
William Chessman, who was art director at Collier’s, encouraged Earl to develop his own humorous bent. Said Chessmen, “He is a masterful artist. You never have to tell him what to do. Just give him a good story and let him alone.” Blossom responded with a wonderful blend of comedy and realism that became his specialty.