Leslie Thrasher
American, 1889-1936
Leslie Thrasher first began contributing covers to Liberty in 1924, and in 1926 he was offered a contract to create a cover per week at the rate of $1,000 per week. Going against the advice of his friend Norman Rockwell, Thrasher accepted the contract, agreeing to complete a weekly cover for six years - an immensely challenging endeavor requiring that both new ideas and new artwork be produced at an extremely rapid pace. The continuing storyline of the cover serial “For the Love o’ Lil” helped Thrasher keep up with the constant demand for new images.
Due to declining circulation, Liberty terminated Thrasher’s contract in 1932. A few years later in 1936, Thrasher died from pneumonia caused by smoke inhalation from a fire in his home, which also destroyed much of his original artwork. An incredibly prolific artist, Thrasher had created more than 360 covers in his lifetime for various publications, including 23 covers for The Saturday Evening Post.
Leslie Thrasher was born in Piedmont, West Virginia. He studied art at the Philadelphia Academy and at the age of 16, won a scholarship that allowed him to study in Paris. Upon his return to the United States, Thrasher studied with Howard Pyle in Wilmington, Delaware and briefly worked as a portrait painter before moving to New York City to begin his commercial career producing illustration for magazines and advertising agencies. Thrasher also served in World War I, where he was assigned work as a camouflage painter.| Materials |
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...Unto My Nephew, Sandford Jenkins, Jr..., Liberty Magazine Cover
By Leslie Thrasher
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Original cover for Liberty magazine, published January 26, 1929.
After the passing of Sandy’s Great-Uncle Ulysses, Sandy and Lil walk around the cluttered brownstone mansion he left...
Category
1920s Leslie Thrasher
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$10,000
H 16 in W 12 in
Her Little Caveman, Liberty Magazine Cover, 1927
By Leslie Thrasher
Located in Fort Washington, PA
“Her Little Caveman: The Jenkinses’ Saturday Afternoon Drama,” original cover for Liberty magazine, published November 12, 1927
Sandy walks home carrying groceries after a day of ru...
Category
1920s Leslie Thrasher
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Heavy Going, Liberty Magazine Cover
By Leslie Thrasher
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Original cover for Liberty magazine, published January 19, 1930.
Ma Morse tries to convince Lil to accompany her to the church fair, but Lil doesn’t want to venture out into the sto...
Category
1930s Leslie Thrasher
Materials
Canvas, Oil
“Clothes Make the Man” Original cover for Liberty Magazine - For the Love o' Lil
By Leslie Thrasher
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Original cover for Liberty magazine, published October 3, 1931
Sandy is excited to receive an unexpected $35 income tax refund check. After going to the bank, he goes to lunch with ...
Category
1930s Leslie Thrasher
Materials
Canvas, Oil
“You Tell Your Mother!” Original cover for Liberty Magazine
By Leslie Thrasher
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Original cover for Liberty magazine, published June 22, 1929.
Sandy, away on a business trip, calls Lil to check in. The two discuss bills and talk about how much they miss each oth...
Category
1920s Leslie Thrasher
Materials
Oil, Canvas
$10,500
H 20 in W 16 in
'Ride Him Cowboy' Liberty Magazine Cover
By Leslie Thrasher
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Original cover for Liberty magazine, published August 31, 1929.
Sandy takes Lil and baby Ulysses out for a day on the lake at the crowded Lakeside Bathing Casino. Sandy pulls out a ...
Category
1920s Leslie Thrasher
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Relativity, Liberty Magazine Cover
By Leslie Thrasher
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Original cover for Liberty magazine, published October 17, 1931.
As Lil’s Aunt Ruby, a “social gadabout” and “blithe widow of many years’ standing” arrives at the Jenkins family home for a visit, Sandy tries to hide his irritation once he sees the massive amount of luggage she had in tow. Aunt Ruby shows off an enormous new diamond ring and coyly announces she is to be married that fall and that her new fiance would be arriving shortly. As Lil scrambles up some hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, Sandy hears a car pull up to the house and is shocked to discover that Aunt Ruby’s future husband is none other than Sandy’s boss! (Liberty magazine, October 17, 1931, p. 37)
“For the Love o’ Lil: The Picture Story of an American Family”
In 1926, under his long-term contract to produce a cover per week for Liberty magazine, Leslie Thrasher introduced a signature cast of characters that appeared each week, telling a serialized story through his illustrations. Liberty touted its new cover serial as “something no magazine has ever done before…Heretofore, all magazine cover...
Category
1930s Leslie Thrasher
Materials
Canvas, Oil
How! I’m Your Father!, Liberty Magazine Cover
By Leslie Thrasher
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Original cover for Liberty magazine, published August 2, 1930.
Lil has given birth to a new blonde-haired blue-eyed baby boy weighing eight pounds and Ma Morse couldn’t be more exci...
Category
20th Century Leslie Thrasher
Materials
Canvas, Oil
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Find a wide variety of authentic Leslie Thrasher art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of blue and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Leslie Thrasher in oil paint, paint, canvas and more. Not every interior allows for large Leslie Thrasher art, so small editions measuring 1 inch across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Ron Blumberg, Robert McIntosh, and Ben Fenske. Leslie Thrasher art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $6,050 and tops out at $175,000, while the average work can sell for $13,500.