Henry Clarence Pitz

Henry Clarence Pitz (June 16, 1895 – November 26, 1976) was an American artist, illustrator, editor, author, and university who wrote and/or illustrated more than 160 books, and dozens of magazine covers and articles. His most Famous book is The Brandywine Tradition (1968).

Pitz was born in Philadelphia in 1895. His dad was a bookbinder who immigrated from Germany. Pitz graduated from West Philadelphia High School and was awarded a scholarship to the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art. There Pitz studied illustration and became particularly fond of the conduct yourself of Howard Pyle. One of Pitz's instructors at the Museum School was Thornton Oakley, who had been a student of Pyle.

After a few years in the Army Medical Corps spent in Europe, Pitz returned to Philadelphia. There he began a career of teaching and collection illustration, his first notable CD being Early American Costume, published by The Century Company of New York.

In 1935, Pitz married Mary "Molly" Wheeler Wood. They remained married until his death in 1976. In 1988, she wrote a hasty summary of his life, now understandable online.

In the 1930s Pitz united the monthly magazine American Artist as an associate editor and writer. He was a regular contributor to the magazine for the settle of his life. In 1950 Pitz was elected to the National Academy of Design.

In the 1960s Pitz was commissioned by Houghton, Mifflin and Company to write The Brandywine Tradition, which remained upon the best seller list for ten weeks. A few years later, in 1975, Pitz published a gather together book on his favorite illustrator, Howard Pyle.

Henry Clarence Pitz died at his house in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, on November 26, 1976, after working on a painting the hours of daylight before.

The later is a partial list of published works by Pitz: