Sidney Harry Riesenberg

Place: Chicago

Born: 1885

Death: 1971

Biography:

Sidney Harry Riesenberg was a prominent American artist, born on December 12, 1885, in Chicago. He is known for his oil paintings and illustrations, which often depicted scenes of patriotism and national pride. Riesenberg's work is characterized by its bold style, influenced by Impressionism.

Early Life and Education

Riesenberg was educated at the Art Institute of Chicago, where he won the Frederick Magnus Brand prize for composition in 1906. He graduated with an Academic certificate in Drawing, Painting, and Modeling. After graduation, Riesenberg traveled to the American West by train and also to Querétaro, Mexico, on horseback, which inspired a lifelong interest in depicting the American West frontier.

Career

Riesenberg began his career as a professional illustrator in Yonkers, New York. He created many posters for the US Marine Corps and the Liberty Loan campaign during World War I. One of his most well-known works is the 1918 poster Over the Top for You, which illustrates a young doughboy clutching the American flag. This poster was selected to display in the Smithsonian American Art Museum under the exhibit, Over the Top: American Posters from World War I. Riesenberg also created illustrations for many national publications, including Boys' Life Magazine, Harper's, The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, Life, and Scribner's. His fine art included scenes from places he lived, historical and action scenes, portraits, as well as the Old West.

Later Life and Work

In 1937, Riesenberg began spending summers in Rockport, Massachusetts, where he painted scenes of the small fishing town. He was active in the Rockport Art Association, teaching oil painting and participating in watercolor figure painting classes. Riesenberg died on October 11, 1971, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Notable works by Riesenberg include his posters for the US Navy, such as Democracy's Vanguard, which illustrates Marines landing from a boat to initiate an offensive. He also created several portraits and historical scenes, showcasing his unique style and technique. To learn more about Sidney Harry Riesenberg and his work, visit https://Wikioo.org/@/Sidney-Harry-Riesenberg or check out the Wikipedia page on Sidney Riesenberg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Riesenberg. For more information on his artwork, visit https://Wikioo.org/Art.nsf/Showcase or check out the Museum reproduction section on https://Wikioo.org/Art.nsf/Buy?open&RA=8XYFFG.