CROSSLEY ATHERTON “BOY WITH KITE”

1908 – 1986

Crossley Atherton was an outstanding American Expressionist painter.

Born in Philadelphia in 1908, he studied at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art and under Earl Horner and Arthur B. Carles.

During the 1920’s he was a commercial artist and illustrator and taught art in the high schools of Philadelphia.  He wrote the first art curriculum for the Philadelphia public school system.

He became a professional painter at the age of 58, after many years in magazine publishing—first as art director of Ladies Home Journal, then as editor-in-chief at Cosmopolitan.  In both positions, he was responsible for hiring some of the most important commercial artists of the era, people such as Robert Fawcett, Norman Rockwell and Al Parker.

During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, Atherton (a lifelong “foodie,” wrote and illustrated a half-page, full color syndicated newspaper column, The Gourmania Guide.  When the column’s run ended, he acquired the used printing plates and used them to create more than 50 large metal constructions, some of which are included in this show.

Crossley Atherton’s work is represented in several Pennsylvania museums and in many private collections.