Harry Devlin
Encyclopedia
Harry Devlin was an artist
and a painter
who also worked as a cartoonist
for magazines such as Collier's. His work won him the National Cartoonist Society Advertising and Illustration Award for 1956, 1962, and 1963, their Illustration Award for 1977 and 1978, and their Magazine and Book Illustration Award for 1990.
Devlin, and his wife Wende, were residents of Mountainside, New Jersey
.
. He was the second son of Harry G. and Amelia Crawford Devlin. The Devlins first settled in Elizabeth, New Jersey
in 1922. In 1935, he entered Syracuse University
to major in illustration, despite his family's encouragement of a career in medicine. In Devlin's senior year he met Dorothy Wende, a junior from Buffalo, New York majoring in Fine Arts. Dorothy is a distinguished portrait and still life painter, poet and children's book author. In 1939, Harry graduated from Syracuse and moved to a studio in New York City. Harry Devlin married Dorothy Wende in 1941. Harry and Dorothy moved to Mountainside, New Jersey
in 1950, where the couple raised their seven children.
Devlin has been focusing on Victorian Architecture for more than 30 years. There are shows by Harry Devlin at the Morris Museum including a sizable show of children's book illustrations, most of which are in collaboration with his wife, Wende.
Devlin died on November 25, 2001 at the age of 83.
, where he was assigned to the Identification and Characteristics Office of Naval Intelligence. There he assumed responsibility for all illustrations and technical drawings published in manuals that were used by U.S. fliers to identify enemy planes. He was so proficient that by 1945, he had illustrated all Japanese, German, and Italian aircraft.
Rising to the rank of lieutenant
at the end of World War II
, Devlin returned to a private life and began a ten-year association with Collier's Weekly
. He created editorial cartoons and illustrations for the magazine’s advertisements and articles. Furthermore, his work also appeared in other publications including the Saturday Home Magazine and the New York Daily News
. During the McCarthy era, after refusing to design a pro-McCarthy cartoon, he was fired from these publications.
It was during the 1950s, a period of political uncertainty and the concurrent decline of illustration that Devlin developed a comic strip carried in local papers, the Newark Evening News
and the Elizabeth Daily Journal, and syndicated in newspapers as far west as Honolulu. Moreover, Devlin began painting portraits and Victorian architecture
. In a collaboration with his wife Dorothy (known as Wende), the couple produced more than two dozen children's books featuring Wende's imaginative writing accompanied by Devlin's colorful and energetic illustrations. The first of these children’s books was Old Black Witch (1963), a story, along with its two sequels, has sold almost two million copies. Afterwards Devlin proceeded to renew a long-standing interest in Victorian architecture
where he published To Grandfather's House We Go (1967), containing illustrations after paintings he had begun as early as 1954. The clarity of the descriptions and illustrations of architecture made the work not only an educational children's book but also a source book for college courses in architectural history. Devlin published What Kind of a House Is That? shortly after, and in 1989 came his major volume on the subject, Portraits of American Architecture: Monuments to a Romantic Mood, 1830-1900.
Devlin's style results from a technique very similar to contemporary photo-realism as is evident in ‘’Off the Yellow Brick Road’’ (1989). He alters slide images to define his basic composition, but incorporates "high truths" in the form of the removal of offending modern incursions such as telephone poles to infuse a sense of nostalgia and mood. Today, Devlin's works can be found in several New Jersey private, corporate, and museum collections including the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum
and the Morris Museum of Art
.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and a painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
who also worked as a cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
for magazines such as Collier's. His work won him the National Cartoonist Society Advertising and Illustration Award for 1956, 1962, and 1963, their Illustration Award for 1977 and 1978, and their Magazine and Book Illustration Award for 1990.
Devlin, and his wife Wende, were residents of Mountainside, New Jersey
Mountainside, New Jersey
If you are looking for the community in Ontario, see Mountainside, Ontario.Mountainside is a borough in Union County, New Jersey, United States...
.
Biography
Harry Devlin was born in Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. He was the second son of Harry G. and Amelia Crawford Devlin. The Devlins first settled in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
in 1922. In 1935, he entered Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
to major in illustration, despite his family's encouragement of a career in medicine. In Devlin's senior year he met Dorothy Wende, a junior from Buffalo, New York majoring in Fine Arts. Dorothy is a distinguished portrait and still life painter, poet and children's book author. In 1939, Harry graduated from Syracuse and moved to a studio in New York City. Harry Devlin married Dorothy Wende in 1941. Harry and Dorothy moved to Mountainside, New Jersey
Mountainside, New Jersey
If you are looking for the community in Ontario, see Mountainside, Ontario.Mountainside is a borough in Union County, New Jersey, United States...
in 1950, where the couple raised their seven children.
Devlin has been focusing on Victorian Architecture for more than 30 years. There are shows by Harry Devlin at the Morris Museum including a sizable show of children's book illustrations, most of which are in collaboration with his wife, Wende.
Devlin died on November 25, 2001 at the age of 83.
Career
Devlin started his career primarily in magazine illustration. After the beginning of World War II, he began his active duty in the U.S. Navy as an ensignEnsign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
, where he was assigned to the Identification and Characteristics Office of Naval Intelligence. There he assumed responsibility for all illustrations and technical drawings published in manuals that were used by U.S. fliers to identify enemy planes. He was so proficient that by 1945, he had illustrated all Japanese, German, and Italian aircraft.
Rising to the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Devlin returned to a private life and began a ten-year association with Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
. He created editorial cartoons and illustrations for the magazine’s advertisements and articles. Furthermore, his work also appeared in other publications including the Saturday Home Magazine and the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
. During the McCarthy era, after refusing to design a pro-McCarthy cartoon, he was fired from these publications.
It was during the 1950s, a period of political uncertainty and the concurrent decline of illustration that Devlin developed a comic strip carried in local papers, the Newark Evening News
Newark Evening News
The Newark Evening News was an American newspaper published in Newark, New Jersey. As New Jersey's largest city, Newark played a major role in New Jersey's journalistic history. At its apex, The News was widely regarded as the newspaper of record in New Jersey. It had bureaus in Montclair,...
and the Elizabeth Daily Journal, and syndicated in newspapers as far west as Honolulu. Moreover, Devlin began painting portraits and Victorian architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
. In a collaboration with his wife Dorothy (known as Wende), the couple produced more than two dozen children's books featuring Wende's imaginative writing accompanied by Devlin's colorful and energetic illustrations. The first of these children’s books was Old Black Witch (1963), a story, along with its two sequels, has sold almost two million copies. Afterwards Devlin proceeded to renew a long-standing interest in Victorian architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
where he published To Grandfather's House We Go (1967), containing illustrations after paintings he had begun as early as 1954. The clarity of the descriptions and illustrations of architecture made the work not only an educational children's book but also a source book for college courses in architectural history. Devlin published What Kind of a House Is That? shortly after, and in 1989 came his major volume on the subject, Portraits of American Architecture: Monuments to a Romantic Mood, 1830-1900.
Devlin's style results from a technique very similar to contemporary photo-realism as is evident in ‘’Off the Yellow Brick Road’’ (1989). He alters slide images to define his basic composition, but incorporates "high truths" in the form of the removal of offending modern incursions such as telephone poles to infuse a sense of nostalgia and mood. Today, Devlin's works can be found in several New Jersey private, corporate, and museum collections including the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum
Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum
The Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum is located on the Voorhees Mall of the campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It was founded in 1966...
and the Morris Museum of Art
Morris Museum of Art
The Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia was established in 1985 as a non-profit foundation by William S. Morris III, in memory of his parents, as the first museum dedicated to the collection and exhibition of art and artists of the American South....
.
Further reading
- Mitnick, Barbara J. Harry Devlin: A Retrospective Morristown: Morris Museum, 1991
- Devlin, Harry. Portraits of American Architecture: Monuments to a Romantic Mood, 1830-1900. Boston: David R. Godine, 1989