Frederick Strothmann (1872–1958) was an American illustrator of magazines and books. He also drew political cartoons and posters.

Early life

Strothmann was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1872, although some sources say in Philadelphia in 1879. Little is known about his early life, except that his parents were migrants to the United States from Germany. He studied art at the Carl Hecker School of Art in New York, the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...

in Berlin and in Paris.

Career

By 1900, Strothmann was established as an illustrator, working for ''

The Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine published six times a year. It was published weekly from 1897 until 1963, and then every other week until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely circulated and influ ...

'', ''

Collier's } ''Collier's'' was an American general interest magazine founded in 1888 by Peter F. Collier, Peter Fenelon Collier. It was launched as ''Collier's Once a Week'', then renamed in 1895 as ''Collier's Weekly: An Illustrated Journal'', shortened i ...

'', ''

Life Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...

'', ''

Harper's Magazine ''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the United States. ''Harper's Magazine'' has ...

'', and ''

Good Housekeeping ''Good Housekeeping'' is an American lifestyle media brand that covers a wide range of topics from home decor and renovation, health, beauty and food, to entertainment, pets and gifts. The Good Housekeeping Institute which opened its "Experiment ...

''. He also illustrated many books. Strothmann created a well-known poster for the

Liberty Bond A liberty bond or liberty loan was a war bond that was sold in the United States to support the Allied cause in World War I. Subscribing to the bonds became a symbol of patriotic duty in the United States and introduced the idea of financi ...

drive of 1918, "Beat back the Hun with Liberty Bonds", showing a German soldier with blood on his hands, holding a bayonet and coming over the Atlantic Ocean towards burning ruins, which became an iconic image of the First World War. Strothmann and his family were living in Manhattan at the time of the censuses of 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940, and he ended his life living in

Flushing, Queens Flushing is a neighborhood in the north-central portion of the New York City Borough (New York City), borough of Queens. The neighborhood is the fourth-largest central business district in New York City. Downtown Flushing is a major commercial ...

, where he died in 1958.Frederick Strothmann

Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), comprising the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, is the largest public arts institution in the city of San Francisco. FAMSF's combined attendance was 1,1 ...

. Retrieved 26 July 2021 An obituary noted that Strothmann had continued to work as an illustrator until two years before his death"Obituaries: F. Strothmann", ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', 14 May 1958, p. 33

Books illustrated

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Fau ...

, ''

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is an 1865 short story by Mark Twain. It was his first great success as a writer and brought him national attention. The story has also been published as "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" (its ori ...

'' (1903) * Mark Twain, ''

Extracts from Adam's Diary "Extracts from Adam's Diary: Translated from the Original Ms." is a comic short story by the American humorist and writer Mark Twain. The story was first published in ''The Niagara Book'' (1893), and was collected in Twain's 1903 book ''My Debut ...

'' (1904) * Harry Graham, ''Misrepresentative Men'' (1904) * Mark Twain, ''Editorial Wild Oats'' (1905) * Thornton W. Burgess, ''The Bride's Primer'' (1905) *

Carolyn Wells Carolyn Wells (June 18, 1862 — March 26, 1942) was an American mystery author and poet. Life and career Born in Rahway, New Jersey, she was the daughter of William Edmund and Anna Potter Wells (née Woodruff). After finishing school, she wo ...

, ''Rubaiyat of a Motor Car'' (1906) *

Ellis Parker Butler Ellis Parker Butler (December 5, 1869 – September 13, 1937) was an American author. He was the author of more than 30 books and more than 2,000 stories and essays and is most famous for his short story "Pigs Is Pigs", in which a bureaucratic s ...

, ''That Pup'' (1908)

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strothmann, Frederick 1872 births 1958 deaths American editorial cartoonists American political artists American poster artists American magazine illustrators 20th-century American illustrators