Harvest
Artist
John Atherton
(1900 - 1952)
Datec. 1945
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions26 x 20 1/8 in.
ClassificationsOil Painting
Credit LineGift of Kenneth Stuart
Terms
Object number1975.19LIC
DescriptionAfter studying at the College of the Pacific, California and the California School of Fine Arts, San Francisco, John Atherton moved to Ridgefield, Connecticut thanks to its proximity to New York City. There, he designed for companies such as General Motors, Dole, Shell Oil, Fortune, and The Saturday Evening Post. To focus more closely on independent surrealist painting and to pursue his hobby as an avid fly-fisherman, Atherton settled in Vermont in the late 1940s and became close friends with his neighbor and fellow illustrator, Norman Rockwell (1894-1978). After Atherton's untimely death in a drowning accident, Rockwell paid respect to him in his essay, Tribute from a Neighbor "Down the Road": "I admired and respected Jack's unquestioned talent and ability as an artist. He refused to tolerate mediocrity in himself." Rockwell also claimed him "a profound influence on my life."Harvest was commissioned by The Saturday Evening Post and published on its October 27, 1945 cover. Atherton presents a precisely composed still life of corn, fruit and a pumpkin set before a vast farm. The painting is clearly signed in the lower left, but carries another mark of the artist's personal touch: the carved initials into the wooden backdrop read "JA loves MB," which means "John Atherton loves Maxine Breeze," his wife.
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