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

Related Artists

Leslie Thrasher"Washington Crossing the Backyard" Cover illustration for Liberty Magazine, 1932

$55,000

H 20 in W 17 in

"Washington Crossing the Backyard" Cover illustration for Liberty Magazine

By Leslie Thrasher

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Original cover for Liberty magazine, published February 27, 1932 In a clever riff on Emanuel Leutze’s iconic 1851 painting Washington Crossing the Delaware, the neighborhood childre...

Category

1930s Leslie Thrasher

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Leslie ThrasherThis Will Hurt You More Than Me, Liberty Magazine Cover, 1931

$12,500

H 16 in W 13 in

This Will Hurt You More Than Me, Liberty Magazine Cover

By Leslie Thrasher

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Original cover for Liberty magazine, published March 28, 1931. Gwendolyn Smithers is loudly singing to herself and disrupting the household. When Mrs. Smithe...

Category

1930s Leslie Thrasher

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Leslie ThrasherChoosing the Love Nest, Liberty Magazine Cover, June 18, 1927, 1927

$8,000

H 14.5 in W 13 in

Choosing the Love Nest, Liberty Magazine Cover, June 18, 1927

By Leslie Thrasher

Located in Fort Washington, PA

“Choosing the Love Nest: Lil and Sandy Find a Cozy Spot for Their Bungalow of Dreams,” original cover for Liberty magazine, published June 18, 1927 Lil and Sa...

Category

1920s Leslie Thrasher

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Leslie ThrasherW-w-whats Zat, Liberty Magazine Cover, 1929

$15,500

H 20 in W 16 in

W-w-whats Zat, Liberty Magazine Cover, 1929

By Leslie Thrasher

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Original cover for Liberty magazine, published December 14, 1929. As Sandy and Lil retire to the sofa after dinner, Lil comments on how quiet Sandy has been after returning from hi...

Category

20th Century Leslie Thrasher

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Leslie ThrasherFare Thee Well! Liberty Magazine Cover, 1928

$13,500

H 20 in W 16 in

Fare Thee Well! Liberty Magazine Cover

By Leslie Thrasher

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Original cover for Liberty magazine, published August 4, 1928. Having left her husband Sandy, Lil returns to the Morse family home with her two-month-old baby. Ma Morse worries abou...

Category

1920s Leslie Thrasher

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Leslie ThrasherA Tight Squeeze, Liberty Magazine Cover, 1931

$11,500

H 17.5 in W 16 in

A Tight Squeeze, Liberty Magazine Cover

By Leslie Thrasher

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Original cover for Liberty magazine, published August 29, 1931. Lil and Sandy have been enjoying their summer weekends together as they begin to search for a new vacation home. Howe...

Category

1930s Leslie Thrasher

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Leslie ThrasherThe Eyes have "It" - Liberty Magazine Cover, 1929

$15,500

H 20 in W 16 in

The Eyes have "It" - Liberty Magazine Cover

By Leslie Thrasher

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Original cover for Liberty magazine, published February 16, 1929. Having just inherited a large sum of money from Uncle Ulysses, Lil and Sandy are on their winter vacation in Florid...

Category

1920s Leslie Thrasher

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Leslie ThrasherLine’s Busy, Liberty Magazine Cover, 1928

$15,500

H 19 in W 15 in

Line’s Busy, Liberty Magazine Cover

By Leslie Thrasher

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Original cover for Liberty magazine, published June 16, 1928 Lil has returned home to her parents’ house after having her baby and the whole family tiptoes around trying not to disr...

Category

1920s Other Art Style Leslie Thrasher

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Browse all Art from Leslie Thrasher

Shop Now

Artists Similar to Leslie Thrasher

Ben Fenske

Shop All Ben Fenske

Russell Young

Shop All Russell Young

Darius Yektai

Shop All Darius Yektai

Cecil Touchon

Shop All Cecil Touchon

Charles Lutz

Shop All Charles Lutz

John Crash Matos

Shop All John Crash Matos

Masri Hayssam

Shop All Masri Hayssam

Paul Jenkins

Shop All Paul Jenkins

Charles Pachter

Shop All Charles Pachter - Robe

Leslie Thrasher art for sale on 1stDibs.

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.