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William Frederick Foster Paintings

American, 1883-1953

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.

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Artist: William Frederick Foster
Cosmo Illustration
By William Frederick Foster
Located in Fort Washington, PA
Signed on Left Side by Artist
Category

Early 20th Century William Frederick Foster Paintings

Materials

Oil

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.
Category

1910s William Frederick Foster Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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Previously Available Items
"Mary on the Bath" Impressionist Peach-Toned Nude Female Portrait Painting
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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...
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William Frederick Foster paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic William Frederick Foster paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by William Frederick Foster in oil paint, paint, canvas and more. Not every interior allows for large William Frederick Foster paintings, so small editions measuring 24 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Haddon Hubbard Sundblom, Wilson Henry Irvine, and Frank Xavier Leyendecker. William Frederick Foster paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $12,900 and tops out at $45,000, while the average work can sell for $28,950.

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