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F. Earl Christy(1883 Philadelphia - 1961 Freeport, NY) Christy
studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and his father,
William, subsidized his early career as a commercial
illustrator (1905-1906). Christy practically invented the
illustrated image of the "All-American Girl," at least for the
Ivy-League set. His early works
glorified the society college girl - always beautifully dressed at
football
games, golf and tennis tournaments, riding in automobiles or
playing instruments. His first College Girl postcard
series was published in 1905 by the U.S.S. Postcard Company.
When the college girl fad had run its course, he went on
to paint more mature men and women, movie stars and political figures,
still romantically idealized. His work can be found on the
covers of vintage fan magazines like Photoplay, Modern Screen,
Pictorial Review, Popular Songs, Radio Stars, Screen Album, Screen
Romances, and
Shadowplay - not to mention sheet music, fans, blotters,
book illustrations, boxes, jigsaw puzzles,
posters, serving trays, bookmarks, advertising mailers, catalogs,
programs, china, and textiles.For more information and dazzling examples of his work, find a copy of American Belles: A Collector's Guide to Earl Christy (in two volumes) by Norman I. Platnick and Audrey V. Buffington. 
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