George Post

George Post
Name	George Post
Birth date	1906
Birth place	New York City
Death date	1997
Nationality	American
Known for	Watercolor painting, illustration, teaching
Training	National Academy of Design, Art Students League of New York

George Post

George Post was an American watercolorist, illustrator, and educator noted for luminous urban and landscape watercolors and for his long tenure as a teacher. He became prominent in 20th-century American art circles, exhibiting widely and influencing generations of painters, illustrators, and students. Post’s work bridged traditions represented by the Hudson River School, American Impressionism, and mid-century realist movements centered in New York City.

Early life and education

Born in New York City in 1906, Post grew up amid the cultural institutions of Manhattan and nearby Brooklyn. He studied at the National Academy of Design and at the Art Students League of New York, where he trained with instructors from lineages tracing to John Singer Sargent, William Merritt Chase, and the academic ateliers of the late 19th century. During his formative years he encountered contemporaries associated with the Society of Illustrators, the Municipal Art Society of New York, and artists exhibiting at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Artistic career

Post’s professional career began as an illustrator for magazines and publishers linked to Harper & Brothers, The Saturday Evening Post, and other publications headquartered in New York City. He transitioned from commercial illustration to fine-art watercolor, participating in exhibitions organized by the American Watercolor Society and the National Academy of Design. Over decades he worked in studios near Greenwich Village and in summer colonies associated with Provincetown, Massachusetts and Cape Cod, maintaining contacts with members of the Art Students League and the Salmagundi Club.

Major works and style

Post’s major works include urban streetscapes, coastal scenes, and domestic interiors rendered in transparent watercolor on paper. His technique shows affinities with the brushwork of John Singer Sargent, the color sensibilities of Winslow Homer, and the tonal organization found in works by Edward Hopper. Post favored plein air observation in locales such as Central Park, East River, and New England harbors, producing paintings that balance representational clarity with atmospheric light effects akin to American Impressionism and realist reporting associated with Regionalism.

Exhibitions and critical reception

He exhibited at institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art satellite shows, the National Academy of Design annuals, and venues curated by the American Watercolor Society. Critics writing for outlets such as The New York Times, Art in America, and regional papers noted his crisp draftsmanship and refined control of watercolor washes. Awards from juried exhibitions and recognition from organizations like the Salmagundi Club and the Art Directors Club affirmed his standing among mid-20th-century American painters.

Teaching and mentorship

Post taught at the Art Students League of New York and gave summer classes in Provincetown and at programs affiliated with the National Academy of Design. His pedagogy emphasized observational drawing, value control, and mastery of watercolor techniques passed down from teachers linked to Boston School traditions. Many of his pupils went on to careers in illustration, fine art, and art education, joining professional bodies such as the Society of Illustrators, the American Watercolor Society, and university art faculties.

Personal life

Post lived primarily in New York City with periods spent in summer communities on Cape Cod and in New England. He maintained friendships with fellow artists connected to the Art Students League, participated in social circles at the Salmagundi Club, and engaged with publishers and editors in the magazine world centered in Manhattan. His personal networks included illustrators, gallery owners, and museum professionals associated with institutions like the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Legacy and influence

Post’s legacy is reflected in collections held by regional museums, societies, and private collectors who preserve mid-century American watercolor traditions. His influence persists in watercolor pedagogy at the Art Students League of New York and within organizations such as the American Watercolor Society and the Salmagundi Club. Scholars and curators examining 20th-century American illustration and watercolor painting cite Post among artists who sustained transparent watercolor technique and representational clarity during an era marked by shifting styles including Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art.

Category:American painters Category:1906 births Category:1997 deaths