The Artist Who Painted America: John Falter's Secrets to Success

The name John Philip Falter is familiar to anyone interested in the history of American illustration in the 20th century. His works graced the covers of iconic magazines, he was friends with the great artists of his time, and he managed to leave behind an impressive creative legacy. This article will tell you how a guy from provincial Nebraska became one of the most recognizable illustrators of his generation.

American artist and illustrator John Philip Falter was born in Plattsmouth, Nebraska in 1910. In 1916, his family moved to Falls City, where Falter Sr. opened a clothing store. After graduating from high school, John entered the Kansas City Art Institute in 1928. After receiving his diploma, the ambitious young man immediately set off to conquer New York.

In New York, John Falter opened a studio in New Rochelle. He quickly became friends with the artistic elite, who often visited him. Falter was friends with famous illustrators Norman Rockwell and Frederic Remington. In the evenings, after finishing work, John continued his education, attending the Grand Central School of Art at Grand Central Station.

Falter had no problems finding work in New York. The most respected publications and studios willingly hired him for the most responsible work. Despite his young age, he had solid experience in creating illustrations. John completed his first order in high school, creating the comic strip “Down Through the Ages” for the Falls City Journal.

John Philip Falter is an unusually productive artist. His illustrations decorate more than 40 books and dozens of magazines. When television reduced the demand for printed publications in the 1950s, Falter took up portraiture and landscape painting. During his life, the artist created about 5,000 paintings. Mostly, these are portraits and humorous sketches from the everyday life of Americans.

John Falter worked passionately until the end of his days. The artist died in May 1982, at the age of 72, at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia from a heart attack. John Falter's legacy is astonishing in its scale - thousands of works, covering an entire era of American visual culture. And what illustrations or artists of the past left a mark on your memory? Tell us in the comments!