W, Fred :: Harry BECKHOFF

Harry BECKHOFF - The Private Angel, Woman's Home Companion story illustration, 1930.

Artist: Harry Beckhoff (All)

451 Views - 2 Comments - 2 Likes

Harry BECKHOFF - The Private Angel, Woman's Home Companion story illustration, 1930. Comic Art

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Published page (grayscale copy)

Artwork Details

Title:	Harry BECKHOFF - The Private Angel, Woman's Home Companion story illustration, 1930.
Artist:	Harry Beckhoff (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Illustration
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	451
Likes on CAF:	2 3
Favorited on CAF:	1
Comments:	2
Added to Site:	2/3/2024
Comic Art Archive:

Description

HARRY BECKHOFF (American, 1901-1979)
The Private Angel
Gouache on board
19 x 24 in.
Signed lower center

Caption: "Every evening I toddle out for my Purple Page"

Beckhoff had a very distinctive style among early 20th century illustrators that focused on clean, strong lines and solid colors with little if any shading. His earliest work in the late 1920s was quite reminiscent of John Held Jr's (see his poster work for the 1927 movie, Her Wild Oat) before he soon settled into the more realistic drawing style that he stuck with for the rest of his career. This is an early example of Beckhoff's magazine work, published less than a year after his very first magazine illustration appeared in The Country Gentleman. He had not yet adopted his signature where "HARRY" is written in an arc above the "BECKHOFF". Beckhoff famously started out his illustrations as tiny yet very detailed thumbnail sketches that were smaller than the size of a business card. Back when Walt and Roger Reed published their book, The Illustrator in America: 1880-1980, they offered 200 autographed deluxe edition copies that included an original, signed Beckhoff sketch! If a sketch version of this illustration is in someone's possession out there, I would love to see it!

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About the Owner

	Fred W
Joined:	September 2008
Last Login:	January 2026
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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Duke Fleed
Member Since 2013

Posted on 2/3/2024

Gorgeous find! Love Beckhoff.

Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

Posted on 2/4/2024

A great find! Showing off the flat colors and shapes in a cartoon manner that Beckoff was known for. Generations will pass and wonder if this little house is where you get tickets to the subway.

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