Arthur Getz facts for kids

Arthur Kimmig Getz (born May 17, 1913 – died January 19, 1996) was an American artist. He is most famous for drawing covers for The New Yorker magazine for 50 years. Between 1938 and 1988, Arthur Getz created 213 covers for The New Yorker. This made him the artist who drew the most covers for the magazine in the 20th century!

Getz was also a fine artist, meaning he created art for art's sake, not just for magazines. He painted large wall murals for a government program called the Works Progress Administration. He also wrote and drew pictures for children's books. Plus, he taught art at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, the University of Connecticut, and the Washington Art Association. Besides The New Yorker, his drawings appeared in many other magazines like Audubon, Collier's, and Reader's Digest.

Early Life

Arthur Getz was born in Passaic, New Jersey. He earned a full scholarship to study at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated with honors in 1934. His very first cover drawing for The New Yorker magazine was printed on July 23, 1938.

What Murals Did He Paint?

In 1939, another artist named Philip Guston taught Getz how to mix special paints for murals. Murals are large paintings on walls. Guston suggested that Getz apply for a government contract to paint murals. This was part of the New Deal program, which helped artists find work during tough economic times.

Over the next four years, Getz won four contracts to paint murals:

• 1939: Post Office in Lancaster, New York
• 1939: Textile Building at the 1939 New York World's Fair
• 1941: Post Office in Bronson, Michigan
• 1942: Post Office in Luverne, Alabama

His Work for The New Yorker

After serving in the Philippines during World War II, Arthur Getz came back to New York City. He quickly started working as an artist again. He became one of the most regular artists for The New Yorker. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was common to see more than one of his covers in a single month!

The famous writer John Updike once wrote about Getz. He said Getz had an "alert eye and confident brush." He found "endless silent dramas" in the world around him. Lee Lorenz, who used to be the Art Editor for The New Yorker, said Getz captured "the special light of Manhattan." He felt Getz's paintings showed "New York's moods." Lorenz also said that Getz found inspiration everywhere. His covers, when seen together, seemed to be about "the joy of painting itself."

Why Did He Use a Different Name?

Besides his magazine illustrations, Getz also painted fine art. In 1960, he had a special art show at the Babcock Gallery in New York City. The gallery director asked Getz to sign his fine art with a different name. This was because Getz was so well known for his "commercial" (magazine) art. The director worried it might stop people from seeing him as a serious fine artist. So, Getz used his middle name, Kimmig, for his fine art. Many of his paintings from that time are signed "Kimmig." Some he later re-signed with both "Kimmig" and "Getz."

In 1969, Getz moved from New York City to Sharon, Connecticut. This move changed the feeling of his New Yorker covers. He started drawing more country scenes instead of city ones. These rural pictures were popular with people who commuted or spent weekends in the countryside. During this time, Getz also wrote and illustrated four children's books. He also drew pictures for many other children's books.

Arthur Getz's 213th and final New Yorker cover was printed on August 29, 1988. Even after a stroke in 1994 caused him to lose sight in one eye, he kept painting and drawing. He passed away on January 19, 1996, at 83 years old.

His Works

Books Written and Illustrated by Getz

• Hamilton Duck, 1972
• Hamilton Duck's Springtime Story, 1974
• Tar Beach, 1979
• Humphrey, The Dancing Pig, 1980

Books Illustrated by Getz

• Double Trouble by May Garelick, 1958
• Jennifer's Walk by Anne Carriere, 1973
• Mr. Goat's Bad Good Idea by Marileta Robinson, 1979
• Gator & Mary's Traveling Band by David Martin, 1981
• Prisoners of the Good Fight by Carl Geiser, 1986

Where His Art Is Shown

Arthur Getz's work is featured in many art collections and books, including:

• The New Yorker Album, 1955
• A Century of American Illustration, 1972
• The Complete Book of Covers from The New Yorker, 1925 – 1989, 1989
• The Art of The New Yorker, 1925 - 1995, 1995
• The Illustrator in America, 1860 - 2000, 2001