Harvey Dunn (1884-1952), “Empty Rooms,” 1938. Story illustration for “Leave the Past Behind” by Frederick Merrill Tibbott, “The Saturday Evening Post,” May 21, 1938. Oil on canvas. South Dakota Art Museum, Gift of Marion J. Kaye in memory of her mother, Helen M. Kerns

Stockbridge, MA, February 17, 2016—Celebrating the final week of its exhibition, Masters of the Golden Age: Harvey Dunn and His Students, Norman Rockwell Museum will present an art talk on “The Teachings of Harvey Dunn,” on Saturday, March 5, starting at 5:30 p.m. Join George Fernandez, Associate Professor and Visual Communications Chair at SUNY Farmingdale, for a look at the life and teachings of Dunn (1884-1952), an influential Golden Age illustrator. The artist realized his full potential after practically applying the ideals taught to him by acclaimed illustrator Howard Pyle (1853-1911), which became the bedrock of Dunn’s own teachings. The careers of Dunn’s most famous protégé, including Mead Schaeffer, Dean Cornwell, Harold Von Schmidt, and others, will be explored. Admission to the event is free for Musuem members, or with regular Museum admission.

Masters of the Golden Age: Harvey Dunn and His Students
On view through March 13, 2016

When illustrator Harvey Dunn died in 1952, his obituary in The New York Times bore the headline “Harvey Dunn, 68, Artist, Teacher.” Known for depicting the harsh realities of World War I combat as well as the healing comfort of life on the prairie, Dunn also served as an important instructor for a number of successful artists.

Masters of the Golden Age: Harvey Dunn and His Students highlights Dunn’s stunning, painterly illustrations for the prominent periodicals of his day, including Scribner’s, Harper’s, Collier’s Weekly, Century, Outing, and The Saturday Evening Post. It also features powerful works created for the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I, in which he recorded the unforgettable realities of war, as well as the artist’s prairie paintings, inspired by his life-long love of South Dakota’s landscape and history. Featuring over 85 paintings, the exhibition also includes original artworks by Dunn’s prodigious students, including Dean Cornwell, Henry C. Pitz, Mead Schaeffer, Harold von Schmidt, Frank Street, Saul Tepper, John Clymer, Lyman Anderson, and James E. Allen, among others.

Organized by Norman Rockwell Museum in collaboration with the South Dakota Art Museum, the exhibition is made possible through generous support from First Bank & Trust.