Harold Anderson (1894-1973)
Fly Fishing Dilemma
signed “Harold Anderson” lower left
oil on canvas, 28 by 37 in.Harold Anderson was a talented and successful American illustrator who created covers and illustrations for the “Saturday Evening Post,” books and magazines, and other commercial outlets. Born in Boston, he trained at the Fenway School of Illustration Art. He was a member of the Society of Illustrators, the Westport Art Association, and the Old Greenwich Art Association. Provenance: Private Collection, Texas
Before 1960 a lot of advertising used sporting art themes. Most of it was commercial junk but some was fun. I never heard of this Harold Anderson (1894-1973) but he did a great job of the bright lighting on this fisherman about to be in a lot of hurt. The rest of the background is muted to heighten that I assume.
Some of this advertising illustration art sells for big cash now but at the time they couldn’t get rid of it. Much was destroyed and it is a real shame to think about what was lost. It was an era that likely will never be repeated.