Oil Painting by American Illustrator.
John Henderson Betts (1877-1902)
Oil,
on board. Black & White. 11 x 16 inches.
Framed.
15-3/4 x 20-3/4 inches. Blackened oak frame. O'Hara's Picture Frames...Phila.
Farmer
milking cow, two children watching, girl holding doll, stonewall, gate, wagon,
barn, etc.
Signed,
lower right: “John Henderson Betts / '02.”
The
painting is in the original contemporary frame. There is an occasional minor abrasion,
overall very good condition.
HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND:
John
Henderson Betts was one of Howard Pyle's more promising pupils at the Drexel
Institute.
Betts
work was shown in the first exhibition of work done in the School of Illustration (1897) and Pyle featured one of Betts’ pictures in his article, "A Small
School of Art" (Harper’s Weekly, July 17, 1897).
Betts was also one of the
ten students awarded scholarships to the first Summer School of Illustration at
Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, in 1898.
Tragic
death at the age of twenty-five.
Germantown
Artist's Awful Death
John Henderson Betts met a shocking death on Monday by falling down the
elevator shaft from the eleventh floor of the Real Estate Trust Building,
southeast corner of Broad and Chestnut streets. Mr. Betts was hurrying to keep
an appointment with his father, Colonel Charles M. Betts, a wholesale lumber
dealer, whose office is on the twelfth floor of the building. The only other
passenger in the car was Mr. William A. Messinger, of Clayton, Pa., who alighted
at the eleventh floor. He says he heard the doors of the elevator shaft behind
him. Almost immediately after that he heard a noise as if the doors had been
reopened, and a scream which caused him to look around in time to see Mr. Betts
go headlong over the edge of the platform through the doorway and into the
shaft. Albert F. Gault, the boy in charge of the elevator, said that just as he
started the car Mr. Betts said something to the effect that he had passed his
floor, and clutched at the doors. The lever was at once reversed and the next
thing Gault knew his passenger had disappeared. The body was taken to the
Morgue, where it was identified soon after, when it was removed to 2034 Spring
Garden Street, the residence of the deceased's father, where the funeral
services were held on Thursday morning. Mr. Betts resided with his wife, to
whom he was married in 1900, on Pomona Terrace, and was in his twenty-fifth
year. He was a graduate of the Friends' Central School, and four years
ago finished a course under Howard Pyle, the celebrated illustrator, at
the Drexel Institute. He at once established himself as an illustrator
became very successful, having his studio at 430 Walnut street. Among the most
conspicuous books he has illustrated are Edward Robins' "Washington and
Braddock's Campaign" and "An Iron Horse Chase; or, a Boy's Adventures
in the Civil War." Mr. Betts also illustrated John Habberton's "Some
Boy's Doings," and had only recently completed four illustrations in color
for Mr. Robin's "A Boy in Early Virginia." He also illustrated
Charles Heber Clarke's "Captain Bluitt," and was engaged at the time
of his death in the illustration of a magazine story by Julien Gordon (Mrs. Van
Rensselaer Cruger). He had also contributed illustrations to the Century, Scribner's and other magazines
Partial bibliography of books and magazines
illustrated by John Henderson Betts
Books
1898. Tomlinson, Everett. The Boys of Old Monmouth.
1899. Castlemon, Harry. Carl the Trailer. (The Pony
Express Series).
1899. Norris, W. E. An Octave.
1900. Balfour, Andrew. Vengeance is Mine.
1900. Robins, Edward. With Washington in Braddock's
Campaign.
1901. Robins, Edward. A Boy in Early Virginia: Or
Adventures with Capt. John Smith.
1901. Clark, Charles Heber. Captain Bluitt, A Tale of
Old Turley.
1901. Habberton, John. Some Boy's Doings.
1901. Merriman, Henry Seton. The Velvet Glove.
1902. Compton, Margaret. The Green Door.
1902. Swett, Sophie. The Young Shipbuilder.
1902. de Forest Shelton, Jane. The Salt-Box House.
Illustrations in
The Saturday Evening Post
Dec.
7, 1901. Touched. By James Barnes.
Jan.
18, 1902. The Knight of the Spike-Sole Boots. By Holman F. Day.
Feb.
22, 1902. When O'Connor Draws His Pay. By Holman F. Day.
Mar.
1, 1902. When the Allegash Drive Goes Through. By Holman Day.
Nov.
1, 1902. The Passing of the Old-School Lawyer. By W. J. Calhoun.
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