Harry Everett Townsend

Born in Wyoming, Illinois, Townsend began his career studying at the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1900, when given the opportunity to work under Howard Pyle (1953-1911), Townsend moved to Wilmington, Delaware to further pursue his artistic livelihood. After four years in Wilmington, Townsend completed his education at the National Academy of Design in New York, and also studied in Paris and London. By 1910, Townsend was a nationally recognized illustrator. When the United States entered the First World War, Townsend was commissioned as an artist to record the activities of the U.S. Air Service. Townsend's expertise as a realist and representational artist transcended the fields of combat. Throughout his career, Townsend was often contracted for specialty illustration pieces for magazines such as "Harper's Bazaar" and "The Century."