William Frederick Foster was an American artist, painter and sculptor, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1883. He became a noted figure painter and illustrator, living the last 21 years of his career in Los Angeles, California. At the age of 12 years, he moved with his family to Colorado, but in 1898, he returned to Cincinnati and enrolled at the Art Academy, where he studied with Joseph Henry Sharp and Frank Duveneck. Foster's early ambition was to be a violinist, but he was re-focused on fine art, when he saw a painting by Albert Beck Wenzell. In 1902, he went to New York City, where he painted scenery for theaters, auditoriums and large department stores. He also studied at the New York School, with Robert Henri and William Merritt Chase.
From 1903–31, Foster worked as an illustrator and had a brief teaching stint, in 1919, at the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1903, he sold his first illustration, a depiction of high society, to Life magazine, with the style very similar to Wenzell. From that time onwards, he worked for most of the major magazines, including Collier's, The Saturday Evening Post and Harper's Monthly. In 1926, he won the National Academy of Design's Thomas B. Clarke Prize, for the best figure composition painted in the United States by a non-academician. The following year, Foster was voted an Associate Member, based on his recognition for a figure work titled, The Girl in Brown.
During World War I, Foster operated his own ambulance in France, as a member of the American Volunteer Motor Ambulance Corps and also received mention as a camoufleur artist. Returning to the U.S., he resumed his illustration work and moved to Chicago, where he taught at the Art Institute. He moved to Los Angeles, in 1932 and devoted his energy to painting, exhibiting and teaching. He taught at the Chouinard School of Art, in Los Angeles and gave private classes in his studio. Foster also worked on a mural project at the Hearst estate, in Wyntoon, California and was an active member of the California Art Club.
“Show me the mystery of this lock...” Story illustration for Cosmopolitan
By William Frederick Foster
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Story illustration for “The Illustrious Prince: The Ball at Devenham House” by E. Phillips Oppenheim for Cosmopolitan, published February 1910, page 355. The full caption reads: ...
Oil
Sumptuous Large Original William Foster Still Life Painting of a Banquet Table
By William Frederick Foster
Located in Tustin, CA
Sumptuous, very large, original oil on canvas board, still life painting depicting a banquet table. This painting is a virtuoso display of how artist William Frederick Foster (1883-1953) captures texture in paint. You can see this in the mouth watering fruit, crustacea and other samplings laid upon the table as well as the masterfully painted reflective surfaces of the copper tea pot, wine bottle and the gathered table cloth. Painting is framed in the original wood frame. Painting framed measures 34.5” high x 46” wide x 1.5” deep. Painting unframed measures 30.5” high x 42.5” wide. William Foster was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1883. He became a noted figure painter and illustrator, living the last twenty-one years of his career in Los Angeles, California. At age 12, he moved with his family to Colorado, but in 1898, he returned to Cincinnati and enrolled at the Art Academy where he studied with Joseph Henry Sharp and Frank Duveneck. His early ambition was to be a violinist, but he was re-focused on fine art when he saw a painting by Albert Ceck Wenzell. In 1902, he went to New York City where he painted scenery for theaters, auditoriums, and large department stores. He also studied at the New York School with Robert Henri and William Merritt Chase, and from 1903 to 1931, he worked as an illustrator and with a brief teaching stint in 1919 at the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1903, he sold his first illustration, a depiction of high society, to Life magazine, and the style was very similar to Wenzell. From that time, he worked for most of the major magazines including Collier's, The Saturday Evening Post and Harper's Monthly. In 1926, he won the National Academy of Design's Thomas B. Clarke Prize for the best figure composition painted in the United States by a non-academician. The following year, he was voted an Associate Member based on his recognition for a figure work titled The Girl in Brown. During World War I, he operated his own ambulance in France as a member of the American Volunteer Motor Ambulance Corps and also received mention as a camoufleur artist. Returning to the U.S., he resumed his illustration work and moved to Chicago, where he taught at the Art Institute. Foster moved to Los Angeles in 1932 and devoted his energy to painting, exhibiting and teaching. He taught at the Chouinard School of Art in Los Angeles and gave private classes in his studio. He also worked on a mural project at the Hearst estate...
Masonite
Nude, William Frederick Foster (1883 - 1953)
By William Frederick Foster
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a charming Post-Impressionist painting of a young girl caught in an intimate moment of brushing her hair. William Foster's (1883-1953) expert display of light on his young s...
Gold Leaf
Untitled, Harper's Monthly 1917
By William Frederick Foster
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Medium: Oil on Canvas Signature: Signed Lower Left Harper's Monthly, 1917.
Canvas, Oil
William Frederick Foster ''Portrait of Youth'' Oil
By William Frederick Foster
Located in Dallas, TX
William Frederick Foster (1883-1953 American) ''Portrait of Youth'' Oil on Canvas 30''x25'' Image. Signed middle left. Gilt gallery framing 36''x31''. Professionally cleaned and reli...
Canvas, Paint
$5,900
H 28.5 in W 24.5 in D 3.25 in
19th Century French Still Life Oil Painting of Flowers by Eugène Henri Cauchois
By Eugene Henri Cauchois
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A pink-white, antique French still life oil on canvas painting depicting a working table with a yellow teapot vase with flowers, painted by Eugène Henri ...
Canvas, Giltwood
$3,000
H 14 in W 23 in
"Rising Moon on the Marsh" Dennis Sheehan, Bright Moon, Evening Marsh Landscape
By Dennis Sheehan
Located in New York, NY
Dennis Sheehan Rising Moon on the Marsh, circa 2025 Signed lower left Oil on canvas 14 x 23 inches Dennis Sheehan was born in Boston in 1950. His work is based upon the Barbizon Sc...
Canvas, Oil
"Arms Raised", Striking Portrait of Nude Male Youth by Jarl, Denmark
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A striking combination of realism and abstraction, this portrait of a nude male youth with his arms behind his neck -- Stanley Christensen -- is beautifully expressed in tones of cha...
Paint
$990
H 14 in W 16 in
Antique American impressionist plein air oil painting period frame pink purple
Located in Buffalo, NY
This atmospheric early 20th-century landscape depicts a quiet river bend bordered by leafless trees, rendered in a restrained tonal palette of soft greens, muted blues, warm browns, ...
Oil, Panel
$3,250
H 30 in W 36 in D 0.88 in
Large Mid Century Still Life - Autumn Chrysanthemums in Vase and Teapot, Signed
Located in Soquel, CA
Mid Century Floral Still Life - Autumn Chrysanthemums with Red Cloth and Teapot by Eugene Dunlap Vibrant painting by Californian artist Eugene Dunlap (1916-1999.) A green vase full ...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
$4,727
H 32.68 in W 31.11 in
Workshop of Jacopo Bassano - Venetian 16th century The Entombment of Christ
By Jacopo Bassano
Located in Varmo, IT
Workshop of Jacopo Bassano (Bassano del Grappa c. 1510 - 1592) - The Entombment of Christ. 65.5 x 50.5 cm (unframed) - 83 x 70 cm (framed). Oil on canvas, in a carved and gilded...
Canvas, Oil
Maurice Joron (1883-1927) Portrait of a Woman circa 1920
By Maurice Rinck
Located in CA, CA
Maurice JORON, born in Paris in 1883, died in Vaucresson in 1937. He entered Fernand Cormon's studio at the Beaux-Arts in Paris. But the academic teaching did not appeal to him. He ...
Canvas
$1,950
H 12 in W 13.5 in D 2 in
19th Century Oil On Mahogany Board by William M Hensley (British 1819-1883)
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th-century oil on mahogany board titled 'The Cut Finger' by William Hemsley, R.B.A., depicts a familial pairing in a cottage home. The girl tends to the eponymous cut with a white cloth pressed on the boy's finger. A dim light is cast from the window to the left, illuminating a cut loaf of bread, a knife, and simple stoneware to set the scene. The girl sits in a wooden chair wearing a salmon-colored blouse, while the young boy is dressed in a golden overshirt. William Hemsley, R.B.A., (1819-1906) was a prolific draughtsman and painter of genre scenes depicting English provincial life. Hemsley’s scenes of everyday reality, which were usually painted on a small scale, follow the gentle tradition of Webster and F. D. Hardy. He was, like them, fond of painting children at play. Many of his works depicted rustic domestic scenes, leading to him being described as "pre-eminently the painter of cottage life". He was also a member of the Society of British Artists. He exhibited frequently in London, particularly at the Royal Academy and the Suffolk Street Gallery. This gentle painting faithfully represents a moment between two people caring for one another. Hemsley painted in a style reminiscent of earlier golden-age Dutch genre painting, using light and color in a vibrant but elegant manner—signature on the lower left-hand corner. In the 19th century, it was common to paint on wood due to its durability, smooth surface, and long-standing tradition. Wood panels were preferred for their sturdiness and versatility, suitable for detailed artworks and various shapes and sizes. While wood was popular, especially for smaller works, canvas started gaining popularity later in the century for its lighter weight and ease of use. This rustic genre scene resides in an ornate Louis XIV Régence style convex frame with foliate shell cartouche corners, strap work, and c-scrolls on a cross-hatched ground with white pigment dispersed throughout. In the early 18th century the Louis XIV styles blended into the Régence frame style (c.1715-1723) which placed greater emphasis on the corners and centers. The full Regency style was both opulent and delicate, with the order and linearity of this period giving way to the swirling delicacy of the Rococo. This painting would be a wonderful addition to a home office, entryway, or library...
Mahogany, Oak, Paint
$2,127
H 22.45 in W 23.63 in
Italian Baroque painter - 17th century painting - Entombment of Christ
Located in Varmo, IT
Italian painter (17th century) - The Entombment of Christ. 51 x 54 cm (without frame) - 57 x 60 cm (with frame). Oil on canvas, in lacquered and gilded wood frame (not signed). Th...
Canvas, Oil
Colorful Still Life Flowers Painting Artwork
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful, colorful, soft, still life painting of a bouquet of spider mum flowers, circa late-19th century to early 20th century. Painting artwork, hand-painted in oil paint, depic...
Canvas, Wood, Paint
$5,500
H 24 in W 30 in
"Still Life" Dennis Sheehan, Dark Background, Fruit and White Flowers, Rose
By Dennis Sheehan
Located in New York, NY
Dennis Sheehan Still Life, circa 2025 Signed lower left, lower right Oil on canvas 24 x 30 inches Dennis Sheehan was born in Boston in 1950. His work is based upon the Barbizon Sch...
Canvas, Oil
$3,896
H 24.02 in W 34.06 in D 2.96 in
EXQUISITE ORiGINAL W.G FOSTER LARGE OIL PAINTING "WAITING FOR THE FLEETS RETURN"
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning original circa 1880-1890 W.G Foster signed large oil painting titled "Waiting for the fleets return" A very g...
Canvas
Sold
H 49.75 in W 35.75 in D 1.5 in
"Mary on the Bath" Impressionist Peach-Toned Nude Female Portrait Painting
By William Frederick Foster
Located in Houston, TX
Peach-toned nude female portrait oil painting titled "Mary on the Bath". The painting is signed by the artist on the back of the canvas. The painting is currently framed. Dimensions Without Frame: H 44 in. x W 30 in. Artist Biography: As a child William Frederick Foster and his family moved to Colorado, but he returned to Cincinnati in 1898 and enrolled at the Art Academy. He studied with Joseph Henry Sharp and Frank Duveneck. he was also an amateur musician. In 1902, he went to New York City where he painted scenery and studied at the New York School with Robert Henri and William Merritt Chase. From 1903 to 1931 he worked as an illustrator, with a brief teaching stint in 1919 at the Art Institute of Chicago. He sold his first illustration to "Life" magazine in 1903. After that he worked for most of the major magazines including "Collier's", "The Saturday Evening Post", and "Harper's Monthly". He won the National Academy of Design's Clark Prize (1926) for the best figure composition painted in the United States by a non-academician. The following year, he was voted an Associate Member based on recognition for "The Girl in Brown." After the War he moved to Los Angeles and devoted his energy to painting, exhibiting, and teaching. He taught at the Chouinard School of Art in Los Angeles and gave private classes in his studio. He also worked on a mural project at the Hearst estate...
Canvas, Oil
Before the Ball
By William Frederick Foster
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Oil, Canvas