George Hughes - Gifted Gallery

George Hughes, born 1907, was an American illustrator best known for his illustrations for the Saturday Evening Post.

Born in New York City, Hughes attended the National Academy of Design and the Art Students’ League in the city. After finishing his education, he provided freelance illustrations to the fashion industry including works for Vanity Fair and House and Garden.  In 1936 he moved from New York to Detroit and was contracted as a special designer, a Mechanical Designer for car companies. He disliked the industry, and shortly thereafter moved back to New York.

Upon returning to the New York, he joined the Charles E. Cooper Studio. He created art for the firm, and was eventually picked up as a talent for representation by American Artists. He married twice during this time, the first ended quickly and the second time he married a woman named Casey who he remained with until his death. The two had a total of five daughters.

In 1942, Hughes caught the eye of Saturday Evening Post Art Director, Ken Stuart. Hughes had created a simple illustration for an interior fiction piece in the magazine. Stuart then commissioned Hughes for a series of WWII portraits of American generals titled “These Are the Generals.” This collection brought Hughes early national fame.

With a growing family, Hughes and his wife decided they needed more living space and it was time to leave New York’s urban sprawl. George knew that Arlington, Vermont was growing in popularity among American artists. The Schaeffers, the Rockwells, and the Athertons were all family friends who lived there.

In 1946, George and Casey bought a small farm near the other artists. Hughes soon became a recurring Post cover artist. Hughes once remarked that he enjoyed sailing in summer, duck hunts in the fall, and skiing in winter. Arlington, Vermont turned out to be the perfect place to build his life. The Hughes’s developed lasting friendships during their time there. George often ran into Norman Rockwell in downtown Arlington. Rockwell would ask George’s opinion on his sketch ideas, but constantly painted the opposite of George’s advice in his final draft. The situation became a running joke between the two artists.

George Hughes’s first Saturday Evening Post cover was on the 17th April, 1948 issue. From that point on, Hughes had a successful career in the art world. He completed a total of 115 Post covers. Hughes, more than any other Post artist bar Rockwell, survived the rise of photography.  He also received commissions from McCall’s, Woman’s Day, American Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Good Housekeeping, and many more.

Hughes' last Post cover was 15th July 1962 until he completed one more for the magazine revival in 1971. In the 1970s, he switched professions in the art world to become a successful portrait artist. George Hughes died in 1990, aged 83. During his lifetime, Hughes had seen his work on display in the Detroit Museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago. He is best remembered for his humorous illustrations for the Saturday Evening Post.

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