Illustrators: Selections from the Collections

Presented chronologically, this exhibition features many illustrations by Harvey Dunn (1884–1952) from the first half of the twentieth century. Dunn, one of South Dakota’s most celebrated artists, is known regionally for his reminiscent prairie paintings and the stark, honest imagery he created as a World War I war artist. However, his greatest acclaim came as one of the United States of America’s foremost illustrators during the Golden Age of Illustration, which solidified his national reputation. 

The Golden Age of Illustration, spanning from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, was a period when illustrators became central figures in visual storytelling. This era was marked by the rise of illustrated books, magazines, and advertisements, with artists like Dunn’s teacher Howard Pyle and friend N.C. Wyeth gaining widespread acclaim. The period saw the blending of fine art techniques with commercial art, creating richly detailed and emotionally evocative works. 

The period declined in the 1940s with the advent of modern printing technology and the increased use of photographic illustrations. The latter half of this exhibition presents a selection of photographs, fine art prints, paintings, and drawings that trace the trajectory of illustration work following Dunn’s death in 1952. Students of Dunn, such as Charles Hargens, Ilo Kopland, Hubert Mathieu, and Grant Reynard, continued within the field but with less financial and critical success. Selections from the Cockerline Collection highlight internationally renowned artists in the 1960s and 1970s as illustrators for books, catalogs, and posters, including Alex Katz’s lithograph created for an art student scholarship benefit – displayed at left. Additionally, artists like Paul Goble, S.D. Nelson, and Donald F. Montileaux showcase the significant advancements made by illustrators in the children's book genre. 

Supplementing the show are materials from the Museum’s Harvey Dunn Archives and reproductions of many of the original publications in which his illustrations appeared. Generous loans of artworks from the University Art Galleries at the University of South Dakota and the Thomas Peterson Collection enhance the exhibition’s impact.  

Artists whose works are on display: 

Karl Bodmer, Frances Cranmer Greenman, Jim Dine, Harvey Dunn, Paul Goble, Carl Grupp, Charles Hargens, Oscar Howe, Jasper Johns, Alex Katz, Ellsworth Kelly, Hubert Mathieu, Donald F. Montileaux, S.D. Nelson, Paul Plaschke, Helen M. Post, Grant Reynard.