Frank Earle Schoonover (American, 1877 to 1972)
Frank Schoonover is well known as one of America’s great illustrators. His journeys into the wilderness of Canada, Alaska and the American West provided the subject matter for his prolific output of illustrations and paintings and made him a leader of the Golden Age of Illustration during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Schoonover’s illustrations can be found in hundreds of popular books and magazines of the time, and his larger paintings often have their roots in tales of adventure.
Schoonover was born in Oxford, New Jersey in 1877. He first attended Trenton Model School with the intent of becoming a minister, but abandoned that notion when he was accepted into the Drexel Institute in Philadelphia. There he studied under his mentor, Howard Pyle, who encouraged his illustrating talents and eventually offered him a scholarship at the Chadds Ford summer school. Pyle was crucial to Schoonover’s artistic development and the receipt of his first commissions. From his tutor, Schoonover learned that it was important to experience firsthand the subjects of his work.
From 1900 onward, Schoonover accepted a myriad of commissions to illustrate books and magazines. Some notable publications exhibiting his work include Harper’s, Scribner’s, Country Gentleman and American Boy Magazine. In order to satisfy the demand for stories of the North American frontier, Schoonover traveled often, and did so under rugged conditions, often taking up residence with the indigenous peoples in order to study and make sketches for his projects.
Schoonover was at the height of his production in the 1910s and 1920s. His reputation as an illustrator had grown, and he worked on several classic adventure novels during this time, including Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, Robin Hood and Gulliver’s Travels. He was also responsible for the invention of Hopalong Cassidy’s image; a fictional, one-legged cowboy whose character who was immortalized throughout America.
In 1914, Schoonover relocated to Bushkill, Pennsylvania, where he resided until his death. From there, he continued to travel and submit his work. He was famous for his tireless work ethic, his impeccable dressing style, and the detailed recording of the specifics of his life. The most distinguishing characteristic of Schoonover’s art was referred to as the ‘Schoonover Red’. He was fascinated by the color red and he usually included a dash of it in his paintings. This trademark added to his fame and made his works more easily recognizable.
In 1918, Schoonover was commissioned to illustrate a story by James Willard Schultz for American Boy Magazine. Schultz was a popular storywriter of the West, and he portrayed life on the frontier with romanticized tales of Indians and pioneers. His story, Rising Wolf: The White Blackfoot, was perfectly suited for Frank Schoonover’s artistic style. The story was later expanded into a full-length novel, and Schoonover again took part in the illustration.
Rising Wolf: The White Blackfoot is the account of the life of Hugh Monroe, a Canadian who spent his youth amongst the Blackfoot Indians. The book tells of his first year on the Plains, in which he was granted the opportunity to travel with a Blackfoot tribe, make friends and immerse himself in their culture. Schultz writes convincingly of Blackfoot life and a seemingly endless cycle of raids and revenge with their mortal enemies, the Crow. The novel climaxes when Monroe, along with three other Blackfoot Indians, enter a Crow encampment under the veil of secrecy in an attempt to make peace. One of the Blackfoot Indians had befriended a Crow in the past, and the companions search for his lodge during the night. Schoonover’s painting, The White Blackfoot, portrays this night scene in the Crow camp. He chooses the exact moment in which Monroe and his party open the tent flap and are recognized by an unfriendly Crow.
Schoonover included this passage on the back of the canvas. 5th Installment “White Blackfoot” Chapter 10 Page 2. As Ancient Otter raised the door curtain of the lodge and the light streamed out full in his face, the man recognized him as one of the hated [illegibly]. April 16, 1918.
Information courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions Inc., June, 2006.