Howard Chandler Christy: Bucolic Naturalism to Café Society
Laurence S. Cutler, AIA RIBA

Howard Chandler Christy traveled a long road from watching steamboats on the riverbanks of the Muskingum in Ohio to painting Presidents, society's grandes dames, movie stars and admirals. His talents with a paintbrush took him from a time consuming hobby to a lofty international reputation as one of the greatest and most superb illustrators and portrait artists. As a bucolic youth, art came naturally and ultimately it was art that led him into a career, which was the envy of his day.

Born in 1873 to Francis Marion Christy and Mary Matilda Chandler, his childhood nickname was 'Smiley,' although his nickname later in life became 'Poppy.' The family claimed an 11-generation descent directly from Miles Standish, Captain of the Mayflower. As a youth, Mary Christy encouraged 'Smiley' to develop his obvious skills as an artist and the family supported his departure from their limiting farm environment of Duncan Falls, Ohio to seriously pursue the study of art. He arrived in New York in 1890 and after some scouting around, enrolled at the Art Students League. William Merritt Chase was his first instructor, but shortly thereafter with funds exhausted he returned to Ohio somewhat deflated. Two years later with more money in his pockets, he retraced his steps and sought out Chase once again.

This time, Chase-tutored Christy privately, first at his Greenwich Village studio and later at his summer venue in Shinnecock, Long Island. Chase founded the first "plein air" art school in the country. The artists worked outdoors and were thus able to develop techniques and effects, which created greater ambience in their works. This practice led to a new realist philosophy, which perfectly suited Christy's naturalistic upbringing. He was also fascinated with Chase's opulent lifestyle, surrounding himself with antiquities in a vast studio decadently decorated with flamboyant panache. At Shinnecock, Christy was exposed to Chase's other students such as Gifford Beal, Reynolds Beal, and Charles F. Nagle. Christy also admired the notable American illustrators of the times, such as Howard Pyle.

At this time, great technological advances were being made in Publishing. Christy sensed that a new field was opening up for his generation - providing illustrations for the burgeoning number of new periodicals. Reproduction technology evolved to the point where engravings were no longer the sole, tedious and expensive means to reproduce a painting. This inspired the needy young artist to turn to illustration as his profession. His first project was to illustrate a manuscript by his friend Frank Crowninshield, entitled In Camphor, and published by G. P. Putnam's Sons. Illustration commissions rolled in thereafter and he was soon able to hire models and move his studio to larger quarters. In 1898, he married one of his models, Miss Maybelle Thompson.

Established as an illustrator, Christy was moved patriotically by the explosion of the Battleship "Maine" in Cuba and signed on as an artist with the magazines covering the Spanish-American War. He accompanied the United States troops - the Rough Riders - and illustrated articles while under fire, which were published by Scribner's, Harper's, The Century, and Leslie's Weekly. During this campaign, Christy befriended Colonel Theodore Roosevelt and gained an even broader interest in patriotic subjects. Upon his return in 1898, he had become a celebrity from his war illustrations. The experience had been a turning point for him.
His fame and reputation were secured with his picture, "The Soldier's Dream" published in Scribners. The girl he portrayed in that and subsequent paintings became known as "The Christy Girl". Like "The Gibson Girl," she was almost a prtotype of the ideal American woman. S. J. Woolf, in an interview, commented on Christy's notion of women:

"They represented the awakening female, no longer content to preside over the kitchen, to be forbidden the golf course or the vote. The way Christy drew her, she was popular with the males because of her charm, while the young women liked her because she embodied their dreams of emancipation."

Christy also described his image of what this woman was truly like, "High-bred, aristocratic and dainty though not always silken-skirted; a woman with tremendous self-respect. " From this point forward, Christy painted beautiful women for McClure's and other popular magazines.

Calendars, book illustrations (some books he authored as well, such as: The
Christy Girl, Bobbs-Merrill in 1906; and The American Girl in 1906) and other illustration commissions expanded his audience. Fame and fortune had found 'Smiley' from Ohio. In 1908, he returned to the riverbanks of the Muskingum River and enlarged 'The Barracks' (his childhood home), by adding a studio. Ensconced in his realm, he reflected on his successes and his love for his country and he became a super patriot. In spite of being so far away from the mainstream, publishers beat their way to his door. In 1910, his commission rates reached an astounding $1,000 per week. It was during his time in Ohio that Charles Dana Gibson introduced him to Nancy May Palmer, a model.